Wedding Bells -ENGLISH VERSION-
by wonderlandismyhaven
Summary: "The most awaited royal event in the Magic dimension: The wedding of Prince Riven of Abydos with Melody's guardian fairy, Musa." SEQUEL TO "PLAYLIST"
1. PREFACE

**[Unfortunately, I do not have the characters of Club Winx. Credits to Iginio Straffi]**

* * *

• **SYNOPSIS ****•**

❝You are the sum of all my dreams. Because little by little, you have become my life.❞

The most awaited royal event in the Magic dimension: The wedding of Prince Riven of Abydos with Melodia's guardian fairy, Musa.

* * *

**0**

**LIFE**

Life is not always rosy. Life is not always fair. Life is not always the way we crave. Life is not always easy. Life does not always have happy endings.

Happy endings used to happen only in stories: Where the girl meets the sweet and perfect blue prince, riding in a steed towards the sunset, where there was always a villain who wanted to destroy the happiness of the protagonists, but they always defeated evil. Finally, the lovers married, had a family, lived happily and ate partridges.

Well, Musa's life was not so far from _that_ reality.

Musa stared at the large window of her temporary room, watching the sun rise from the horizon and hear the birds whistle. She hadn't slept much that night, and this time it wasn't because something disturbed or bothered her. No, that morning was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

The music fairy smiled.

_Today was her wedding day._

A year ago she wouldn't have imagined that she would be committed to the love of her life. Because yes: Riven had returned to her side. After their breakup two years ago, when he decided that it was best to follow his own path to find himself, Musa was sure she would never see him again.

Riven had always been a wild and free soul, and Musa wasn't sure she was the person he was meant to be with. Their relationship was never the best or the prettiest, but they _complemented_ each other: He kept her on the rope while she kept him grounded.

Unfortunately, they had had many discussions and disagreements in that year before their breakup, in addition to the distance they both had over the other. After the persecution with Rumpelstiltskin when he stole Musa's voice in the music cafe, the relationship rolled on the tightrope, about to fall and break into millions of pieces. Riven realized that his attitude was once again the same as before he met Musa, and he also knew that he couldn't continue with her being an enlarged idiot capable of hurting her with his actions or his words, in addition to what he felt lost in himself and he didn't have a coherent answer as to _why_ he was fighting for. Riven and Musa ended up on good terms, clarifying that they could remain friends. Ironically, two friends who loved each other but didn't know how to be together.

The next day he had completely disappeared from her life. Musa still remembered how she resented his promise that he would keep in touch to let her know he was fine, as friends usually do in these situations. But Riven never called, never left a message, nor answered the calls and messages she left him. He just vanished... as if the earth had swallowed him... as if he had never existed...

A year went by, and Musa along with her best friends had a new mission, as usual: Save the stars of the Magic Universe. But she didn't count on his ex-boyfriend's return with it. Her specialist friends appeared in Alfea after returning from an important mission, but they were not alone: Riven was with them.

It was hard for her to get the idea that Riven had come back, even more so when she had to get used to a whole year that he left to return _who knew how long_ or maybe never to do it, learn to be without his presence, without being able to look at him or to hear his voice. But something she was certain, no matter how hard she tried to be hard and indifferent to him when Riven tried to approach her to amend everything, was that she still loved him with every beat of her heart.

Since his return, Musa understood that she had to appreciate the little things that life offered her.

After all, life is simple, it is only we who strive to make it difficult...

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE (READ PLEASE): I had had many requests to make this story in an English version. As you will see, I have decided to try to translate it. My English is not the best but it is one of the languages I studied for more than six years because it fascinates me. I hoped to make it easy for all of you to understand it, and I apologize in advance if I have an error that affects grammar and makes it difficult to read and understand it.**

**Any criticism or help is always welcome!**

**Enjoy it!**


	2. THE RETURN

**1**

**THE RETURN**

Once again things got complicated for the Winx.

Having spent a whole summer free of missions was renewing for each of them, especially for Musa: Her father had become seriously ill with a chronic cardiovascular disease that was detected after some general analysis made when he entered the emergency room. Hoboe Wang had been working in his music store when he vanished in front of the clientele. Musa traveled to her home planet as soon as Faragonda told her about her father's situation. Her father was in a delicate state because of his advanced age and needed to be in the care of someone every minute of the day. She obviously stayed with him a couple of months to help him with weekly medical checkups and treatments, luckily Hoboe didn't have a relapse again. Every now and then her friends showed up at Melody to help her with whatever she needed.

However, duty called again and Musa had to leave Melody to return to Magix where a new mission awaited her. At first she refused to leave her father alone, but Hoboe assured her that he would be fine -since lately his health was going well within what could be expected. Musa —after her father practically threw her out of the house to continue her work to save the magic dimension—, accepted it as long as her father agreed to have help from a nurse to watch him day and night in case his health gets worse. Cleo Swan **(1)**, a young woman of almost the same age as her, is the nurse who lives in the Wang's house who took care of Hoboe while Musa was off her planet.

It was the night of shooting stars in Magix and the Winx were preparing to have a party in Alfea. That night the Winx found a strange being on the edge of the forest. According to Stella it was a Lumen, from Lumenia, the star that illuminates the planet Solaria. The little creature named Twinkly, after a long trip, brings with her an urgent message: The stars of the Magic Universe were in danger, and the Winx were the only ones able to stop the unknown villain.

_"Be cautious, girls," Faragonda had said uncertainly once Twinkly said everything she knew about the situation._

_"Cautious is our middle name," Stella said, trying to cheer up the atmosphere, but it didn't work out. Well, everyone was worried about this new threat, even Griselda felt very worried._

_"It's not time for jokes," Tecna whispered to the fairy of the sun and the moon._

_"We will do everything in our power, Miss F," Musa bellowed with confidence._

_"Good," Faragonda whispered. "You better get ready for tonight's show."_

* * *

The next day Musa had been the first to get up. Which was strange because Flora usually did it before the others. She also had a knot in her stomach since last night while performing at the show, as if something was about to happen: Musa didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

She grabbed her notebook next to a pen and left her room trying not to wake Tecna in the process. Her best friend had been trying again to connect with her boyfriend, Timmy, after the show; A couple of weeks have passed since the Specialists had left on an important mission. The last time they heard from them was that they were about to go to an uninhabited part of the Omega dimension. Musa tried to comfort her friends that couple of days, because she understood how they felt. Although the musical fairy was also worried about her specialist friends, especially Sky and Brandon, whom she saw as two older brothers she always wanted to have.

Musa took advantage of the time alone she had to start composing songs.

Despite having a band with her friends, she knew that for them it was just a hobby and that at some point the band would dissolve. Musa has always dreamed of being a singer like her mother was, although perhaps not the same style. She achieved a big step in her career thanks to Jason Queen on Earth where she quickly became recognized, but obviously her talent was shown only there, while in Magix she had only performed as a soloist once at the Red Fountaine concert in her second year and the occasional shows in the center of Magix. So when they created the band the musical fairy asked Bloom **(2)** to be the lead singer instead of her, because if Musa wanted to succeed in music in the magical dimension, she wanted to do it as a soloist. The repertoire of songs that the band had were written by Musa with the occasional help of the girls, but the best composed songs were kept for herself and for her future solo career.

_Some people live for the fortune  
Some people live just for the fame  
Some people live for the __money__ power  
Some people live just to play the __match__ game_

_Some people think that the physical things define what's within  
And I've been there before, and that life's a bore  
So full of the superficial__… _**(3)**

It was easy for her to compose any kind of songs. Not only for being a music fairy but Musa had that wonderful ability to express everything she felt or thought in each stanza and in each letter, capable of touching every fiber in the body of the listener.

_Some people want it all__  
__But I don't want nothing at all__  
__If it ain't you baby__  
__If I ain't got you baby__  
__Some people want diamond rings__  
__Some just want everything__  
__But everything means nothing__  
__If I ain't got you…_

Musa sighed heavily. The twitching in her stomach still wasn't going, and she didn't want to drink another herbal tea from Flora. She closed her notebook when she heard a few steps coming from Bloom's room. A few seconds later, the fairy of nature entered the room, already dressed in a warm pink dress and a headband.

"Good morning."

"Good morning Muse," greeted the brunette with a sweet smile on her lips. "I didn't expect to find you awake at this hour."

"Neither am I." The blue-haired looked vaguely at the clock that struck eight in the morning. "I have felt this feeling that something will happen all night that does not leave me alone for a second."

"Honey, maybe it's anxiety. Did you talk to Cleo these days? Possibly you just want know about how's your father," said Flora, making two cups of tea appear.

"Cleo has lost her phone when she went shopping. I would have called my house, but since my dad is forbidden to make efforts we stop paying the landline. But maybe you're right, I'm going to try to communicate with her in some way later." Flor smiled, taking a sip of tea. "Could you communicate with Helia, or any of the boys?"

"No," she replied, releasing a resigned sigh. "I'm so worry... Never before have they gone on a mission so long. I talked with Layla **(4)** about this. You know that even if she doesn't want to admit it at all, she feels something much stronger than just loving Nex **(5)**, and she's just as worried as all of us. I tried to communicate with Saladin to find out if he knew anything about Helia, but he couldn't communicate with him either."

Musa grimaced at the memory of the paladin of peculiar hair. Nex was a new member in the group of Specialists over the past year, although they already knew each other before. He was immediately sentimentally linked with Andros's princess, although at that time Layla was at a crossroads of feelings found by the paladin and Roy. But Roy had returned to Andros to continue his new job as a soldier, leaving Nex free way to win Layla's heart.

Musa found certain similarities with her ex-boyfriend, both conceited and competitive along with possessiveness and jealousy. If Riven had paid attention to his surroundings instead of struggling to be the best in everything, he would have realized that he and Nex were more alike than they appeared. The difference was that Nex behaved completely different when Layla was around, if something infuriated her or she didn't like his acting, he behaved submissively as long as things were right between them. Riven never had hairs on his tongue, Musa much less, and that was why their relationship was based on discussing most of the time.

"The Omega dimension is immense. It may take them some time to come back." Musa grimaced after drinking the tea. She was beginning to hate that kind of drink. "But they are the Specialists we are talking about. Nothing and nobody can against them."

Again a few steps approached the room. This time it was about Tecna and Layla. Musa saw how both were restless, and it was not for less, with their partners who knows where and with the weight of a new mission to save the universe.

"Here you have your coffees," Flora said, magically leaving two cups in front of the newcomers. "Did you sleep well?"

"You could say yes," Layla replied yawning.

"Little and nothing." Tecna drank from the cup.

The blue-haired reached the hand of her two best friends, smiling tenderly at Flora.

"Hey, I tell you the same thing I said to Flora: Maybe it will take some time for the boys to come back, because come on, we're talking about the Omega dimension!" that place did not bring her pleasant memories, for that is where Valtor had spent part of his life creating several of his macabre plans, where the Trix and other villains spent years fueling his anger and thirst for power, and where his best friend was lost when she sacrificed to close the portal that was linked to the planet Andros. "They would never leave you behind, they will come back for you." she assured them.

In the next hour Musa spent listening to them talk about different topics to put aside the topic of the Specialists. It was amazing that after so many years of friendship and living together, they all continued to learn new things about each other. Flora was half-told about how her sister Miele **(6)** got her Charmix last night on a small mission in Linfea, when a shout from Stella was heard. Before any of them could react, the young woman with bright blonde hair appeared in the room with a radiant smile and her eyes lit. Behind her came Bloom with the same look of joy and her phone in hand, followed by a sleepy Twinkly.

"What's going on?"

"The boys are coming!"

* * *

As soon as the characteristic Red Fountaine ship landed at the entrance of Alfea, her friends ran each with their respective partner. Musa watched them gather from her place, smiling with some nostalgia. She still didn't quite get used to being just a mere spectator and she was a little sad to be there alone without someone to receive with a hug or a kiss. Twinkly floated to the side of her looking at her in confusion.

"Something happens?"

"Aren't you going to greet your boyfriend like they do?" Little Lumen asked innocently.

"I don't have a boyfriend," she replied, letting out a short laugh.

"You don't have? Stella told me that you did have one. And that he was a _jerk_, even I don't know what that means, but it must be a good thing."

_Oh Stella_, Musa thought. Stella had stayed with Twinkly all night talking about the planet Lumenia and Solaria, since both was closely related to each other. But she would have a serious talk with the Princess of Solaria for teaching a little creature as innocent as Twinkly that bad word. And incidentally to clarify that she need stopped speculating about her private and loving life with all the people she talked to.

"I had a boyfriend, but we finished more than a year ago," said the blue-haired girl when she saw that Lumen was waiting for an answer from her. "After him I didn't look at anyone else." she lied. She still remembered Orlando, the artist she met in the Middle Ages when they traveled to the past. Musa would be lying if she said she hadn't felt strongly drawn to the chestnut tree with beautiful emerald eyes.

"Oh," said the little creature. "The brown-haired boy is running over here." That said Twinkly flew away from her to approach where Bloom and Sky were.

Musa looked ahead, meeting her best friend running in her direction. Brandon, just in front of her, hugged her by the waist raising her a few inches off the ground. The fairy laughed as she hugged him by the neck as hard as she could. Musa and Brandon shared a strong bond of brotherhood, everyone knew that —even Stella—, so those signs of affection between them were normal.

"Don't disappear like that again for so long." the girl whispered brokenly in her ear.

"Stella and you talk telepathically or what? She just told me the same words," the specialist joked, separating from Musa with a smile. "I had faith that you would miss me but not to the point of starting to cry."

"Idiot," she knocked his arm jokingly. "Did you do well in the Omega dimension? Why did you take so long? Any problem?"

"Eh… no," Brandon replied scratching the back of his neck. That showed Musa that he was lying to her. She knew him very well to know if he was honest or not.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Musa just nodded since she wasn't going to force him to tell her if he didn't want to.

She and Brandon approached where the others were being introduced to Twinkly. Musa just there could notice the strange costumes that the boys wore: They looked like space suits with several compartments for weapons and a rare helmet on the chins, each with its characteristic color. The musical fairy thought remotely that she preferred them more with his old full-length suit and the cape they were forced to wear in the early years.

"Musa." Sky approached her to hug her. Maybe it wasn't the same relationship as she had with Brandon, but Sky considered her as her best friend too. Secretly Sky had promised a certain person to take care of her for as long as necessary. "You look good."

"You too. Although I prefer the other suit." She muttered grinningly.

"They're the last shout of fashion." Nex said, hugging Layla by the shoulders.

"They wouldn't be my first choice, but they're fine." Stella commented, carefully examining her boyfriend's suit.

"Where did they get them from?" Tecna asked scanning the suit on her mini laptop.

"A friend gave them to us," Timmy replied with a nervous smile.

"A friend?" Asked Flora confused.

"Yes, a friend," Helia repeated calmly.

"Did they make a friend in the Omega dimension?" Asked Bloom, bewildered, making a small laugh of the blond.

"Actually, he's an old acquaintance and friend," Sky commented. "We have a surprise for you, girls, especially for you, Musa." The aforementioned raised an eyebrow at what was said.

"What kind of surprise?" The music fairy had been feeling stomach cramps since yesterday and something told her that it had to do with anything Sky had brought.

"A good surprise."

"Well... I don't know if it will be good, but we think it can be." Brandon said, giving his best friend a warning look.

"Speak clearly! I hate conversations in codes," the fairy of the sun and the moon muttered. "Who is this _old-known friend_ you are talking about? And what surprise do you refer to?"

"We brought someone with us," Nex replied rolling his eyes at the sharp tone Stella had used. "And yes, the person we brought is a friend that we all know. Including you."

Musa was about to ask who it was when little Lumen came forward.

"Is that your friend?" "Twinkly said pointing toward the ship where there was an ornate figure on it.

The times she had dreamed that situation were thousands. Some dreamed of them asleep, others while she was awake. Or perhaps hallucinating at the least indicated moments, everyone used to tell her that she lived in a cloud of fantasy. But she was Musa Wang, full of vitality and dreams that came from her deepest desires. However, she had never been as surprised as at that time: Well there, just a few meters away, was a person she had lost hope of seeing again. Riven Hawthorne, her former beloved ex-boyfriend, had returned. He was there, staring at her with a half smile painted on his lips, carefully studying every reaction she had.

Her friends were equally surprised. Musa felt Layla's hand lean on her shoulder in comfort, knowing and imagining how the situation was affecting her. But she could not respond to the touch because she kept wandering in her crazy mental theories with her gaze fixed on Riven. She never thought that "a surprise" on Sky's part would be to bring her ex-boyfriend back.

The Winx whispered the name of the former specialist in amazement.

Musa went from feeling of surprise and joy in a heartbeat to anger and fury.

"What are _you_ doing here!?" she shouted sharply without thinking though she did not regret doing it either. It sounded more like a reprimand than a question.

It had been more than a year in which she knew nothing about him not even an answer from him if he was still alive. All she was waiting for all that time was knowing if he was okay. Nothing more than that. And now seeing him there, made her reappear the feelings dhe had buried deep in her heart.

"He saved us," Brandon answered his best friend. He knew what Musa lived since Riven's departure. He understood her but he also supported his friend's decision to leave to be a better person for himself and for all of them, especially for her. He felt a little sorry to see the expression of pain crossing Riven's face at the words of the musical fairy. "In our last mission in the Omega dimension we had several complications."

"Riven showed up in the Omega dimension and saved us." Sky began with a smile, not noticing the tension in the environment.

"Without his help we would have been lunches for monsters." Timmy continued sympathetically, hugging Tecna by the waist to lighten the mood.

"His help was so essential so we decided to welcome him back to the Specialists." Helia said solemnly.

Musa turned to look Riven with fury in her sapphire eyes.

"We never heard from you! And now that you are back you didn't even call me to tell me?"

"Musa..." there was his voice, much thicker and more manly than she remembered. Musa looked away to the ground, unable to continue looking at him without reliving everything that happened the last time they saw each other and the hell she had a year without his presence. "Musa, I..."

But she turned and walked away from the circle. She cared little if she behaved like a capricious girl in front of everyone but a part of her mind was eager to go to him to give him a hug and tell him how much she had missed him and the other simply wanted to hit him so that he felt all her fury for having her left behind. Neither option sounded rational to do so.

_God_, Musa thought in anguish. She had a great desire to start crying right there. Who would say that after so much hard work so that your heart stopped hurting because of the rupture emotions reappeared along with his arrival? Riven looked the same as when he left; The only thing that looked different were the features of his face —now much more framed and profiled— and his purple suit like the others. The whole situation seemed like a mirage.

And as much as she wish everything was fine as before, it will never be the same.

Riven, somehow or another, had changed.

Even she had changed.

_Everything had changed._

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, pulling it out of her depressing thoughts, and seeing the ID with an unknown number she hesitate to answer. When she heard her friends and Brandon call her also next to the red-haired specialist, she thought that answering the call would be a perfect excuse to get away from them all.

"Hello?"

"_Finally, it's good that you attend!_" Cleo's characteristic voice was heard in the horn. "_I've been calling you for the past three hours. Do you know how worried I was without knowing about you these last days?_"

"I…" her throat went dry. She shook her head a couple of times to concentrate on the call. Cleo could be very dramatic for some things. "Sorry. As it was an unknown number, I didn't worry about answering calls. I must assume you bought a new phone."

"_Of course! Although it seems silly it is essential to have a cell phone at this time. Returning to the main topic: It's about your father._"

"He's fine?" she asked alarmed.

"_Yes! Okay, I would say much more than good. Now he's sleeping. The only thing that may cost me a job in denying him is that he wants to travel to Magix to give you a surprise visit... Well, not so "surprise" because you already know it._" she laughed.

"Don't even think about it. As much as he is well, I don't want to risk a relapse from flying here," she murmured, glancing over her shoulder. She watched as her friends approached to talk with his ex-boyfriend "And things are not going well in Magix, C."

"_You're okay?_" Asked the nurse worriedly. Musa and Cleo may not have had so much time to meet, but with the little they frequented they noticed that they had the same tastes in some things, being able to make a quick friendship.

"Yes, but a great threat is approaching. For that reason I ask you not to come to Magix, as a precaution. I will try to go to Melody as soon as possible before leaving. I don't know how long this mission lasted."

"_Well, I'll try to convince him. Be careful, okay?_"

"I will. Take care of yourself too, and tell my father that I love him." and she hung up.

She stayed a couple of seconds in the same position. Turning around was not a good option because her ex-boyfriend was still there talking to the girls. Less with Layla, looking out of the corner of her eye, she could see that she was staying away with her arms crossed; Musa knew well that between her and Riven there were always clashes, because he used to criticize the will of women a lot and Layla was a feminist who had no hair on her tongue. When he broke up with her and vanished from everyone's life, Andros's princess was very clear giving her opinion that Riven was not good enough for someone as charismatic as Musa. It was funny, because Musa thought the same about Nex.

"It's all good?" Her brunette best friend approached her. Layla didn't feel comfortable with Riven's return either, and she could imagine the torment Musa would be feeling inside her. "If you want we can go for a walk for a while..."

"No. It's fine," she said taking courage to turn around. "I'll be fine. Sooner or later, I must face him." a grin settled on her lips.

"He's still an idiot," Lala muttered, "but if there's a reason that brought him back that's certainly you. The best thing you can do is talk to him."

What was said by the chestnut made the heart of the music fairy begin to beat rapidly. Did Riven really come back for her or was it only possible to show others that he became better in combat than he was before? No, that second assumption could not be true. When he left he told her that he wanted to be a better person and that when he found himself he would return to her. Musa always trusted his word. But the question was: What if he came back but he no longer felt love for her? That's when she realized that she should talk to him as soon as possible. She could not bear the same game again in which he and she were involved in the first year of "unrequited feelings."

The pair of violet eyes met hers when Musa decided to approach the circle a little. The musical fairy could see how Riven's eyes shone with something she had never seen before in them: Tranquility, serenity... peace with himself. His eyes were still beautiful and they still caught her in spite of everything just as Riven's presence managed to accelerate her heartbeat to the fullest.

Riven's gaze swept through every part of his ex-girlfriend's body to stop to study her face. She was still as beautiful as he remembered her perhaps now she had more feminine and mature features than the last time he saw her. But what completely took his breath away was seeing that navy blue that always caught him to stop his world completely and that he loved spending hours admiring them for how captivating they were.

"... It's Twinkly. And we have a new mission to save the universe, as usual." Bloom said, taking them both out of their bubble of looks and thoughts.

Faragonda had informed them that they should go to specific coordinates to investigate a strange object that fell near there. Twinkly would accompany them in this task in case it was something that came from her home planet.

"Wow, it sounds dangerous."If you want we can accompany you, in case you need help." Sky offered solemnly.

"No. Thanks, Sky. You've done enough with your... "surprise"" Layla hurriedly said, sending a hard glance at the newcomer. "Leave it to us."

"But…"

"Better let them go Sky," Riven said, placing a hand on the blond's shoulder. Musa could see that despite using a reassuring tone his eyes showed a little concern "They will know how to handle themselves."

The girls began to walk inside Alfea. Musa walked between Layla and Tecna and when she turned back all she got was to meet Riven's gaze again and she quickly turned her gaze to the front of the way with her red cheeks. He smiled slightly at her, without waiting for the same action from her because Riven knew Musa very well to know that she felt hurt with the whole situation.

_I promise you, my Muse, that this time I will do things well_, he swore to himself the reinstated Specialist before leaving back to the ship with his friends.

* * *

**REFERENCES****:**

**(1)**Cleo Swan is one of the OCs that I incorporate for this story.

**(2)**I cannot believe that Musa, being the **music fairy**, is not the lead singer of the band. I know that the series revolves around Bloom but it is absurd to be put to her as a singer having Musa. Or in any case it would be fairer for all the Winx to sing.

**(3)**The song is "If I ain't got you" by Alicia Keys. One of my favorite singers.

**(4)**I know that as of the fourth season Layla stops calling herself that way to become Aisha. I am sorry if someone disagrees but I met her as Layla and it will always be that way.

**(5)**In my opinion, the appearance of Nex in the series is to fill in the place that Riven left free. I mean Nex has a very competitive and arrogant attitude like Riven's in the first season. I don't dislike him at all but he is not my favorite specialist either. However I find him a bit interesting.

**(6)**Miele will be an active character in this story.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here the first translated chapter! I read it several times to see if I skipped any corrections (sorry if there are any and I didn't realize it).**

**This story as you all see is based on the plot of the eighth season. In fact I wrote it long before the chapters will be issued so it doesn't go to the bottom of the series. **

**Anyway, I hope you like it! You know, any criticism or help is welcome! See yeah!**

* * *

**UPDATE:** 01/10/2019.


	3. START FROM SCRATCH

**2**

**START FROM SCRATCH**

"Sonic Percussion! **(1)**" Musa shouted once converted into her Butterflix transformation towards the monster in front of her.

The spell hit the face of the mutant but did not have much effect on him: Instead the blow only made him angry much more. Before she could fly away from his reach, Musa was struck with the hard arm of the abomination so violently that she ended up sending her to the other end of the place and being struck against the rocky wall.

"Musa!" Tecna exclaimed when she saw her best friend fall to the floor.

Black dots decorated the vision of the little fairy. Her head throbbed because of the heavy blow she received and her body felt slightly heavy and she even felt that something viscous fell from the side of her face. She tried to stand up but the heeled shoes did not help in the process since the blow felt dizzy and she could not maintain her own balance. She noticed a movement on top of her and that was when she realized that the monster took advantage of her state of weakness and was ready to crush her with its indestructible arms.

Slowly she heard her friends shout her name and closed her eyes waiting for the impact but it never came. There was the sound of something electric appearing and a deafening scream of the monster. When she opened her eyes she found a muscular figure in front of her with his back to her. She instantly recognized that magenta hair with his characteristic hairstyle up. Riven looked at her over his shoulder, checking her with the look quickly to make sure she was fine —not counting the deep wound on her forehead—.

"Musa, get out of here, now!" Riven shouted before beginning to fight the mutant.

Seeing that action, Stella, who was the closest and without any opponent, quickly approached her.

"Come, hold on to me," she passed one of the blue-haired arms around her shoulders and led her to a place away from the battle. "Oh, this looks bad," she said when she saw the bleeding wound on the side of her friend's forehead. "It will leave an ugly scar."

"Stella..." Musa glared at her as she took deep breaths.

"Looks like your blue _prince_ arrived just in time to save you." the princess of Solaria remarked cheerfully.

"Shut up," she hissed rolling her eyes. That did not stop a strange emotion from running from head to toe. "Auch, it hurts too much."

"When we get to Alfea you will go to see Ophelia immediately." A roar sounded behind the blonde. They both saw another monster approaching them. "Shining Shield!" she bounced against the bright shield. "I'll go take care of that big guy. Stay here and don't move."

_As if I could stand up_, she thought about answering when she saw her walk away.

She did not like to remain hidden as useless while her friends and the Specialists duel against the giants, even Twinkly helped distract the monsters to make them dizzy. From her position she could see the fight that a fast Riven unleashed; Without a doubt, his battle skills became much more agile and fast, almost like a person with super speed. His masculine face showed concentration and seriousness, giving a much sexier facet to his appearance.

Musa was spellbound for a few seconds by his movements. Still a part of her speculated that everything was a product of her imagination because it had already happened to imagine him awake and that at any second his image would vanish. But it was real: He was there, next to her, as she had dreamed since he left.

She create a sound wave to knock down one who wanted to attack Riven from behind. Luckily he didn't realize it. She also helped Tecna and Flora who were closer to her hiding area. Some time later, the battle ended with the sudden disappearance of the monsters.

"That's it, run away, cowards!" The fairy of the sun and the moon made a big smile giving the five of them with Twinkly.

"What were those things?" Nex did not hesitate to ask when he finished inspecting that his girlfriend had no wound on her.

"That was the reason we came here," Bloom replied "to know what they were and where they came from."

"I can analyze these samples," Tecna said, collecting a sample of the soil "to see if I find any DNA evidence and determine what kind of creatures they are."

"Musa?" The blue-haired heard Riven's masculine voice approaching where she was. "Are you okay? Have you hurt yourself or something?"

She remembered how he defended her. She wanted to thank him for saving her from being about to be killed, hugging him tightly and not letting him go. But her irrational and senseless part took the lead:

"You didn't have to defend me. It wasn't necessary." she whispered without looking at his face.

Riven blinked dazedly.

"Was not necessary!? Musa, you almost died!" He argued raising his voice, drawing the attention of others. "I don't want to imagine what would have happened if I didn't arrive in time! I will always worry about you and your safety, Musa."

"It didn't seem that way in recent months," she said through clenched teeth. Silence invaded the place after Musa said those words. For a moment she wanted to redeem her spoken words at the pain that crossed his eyes but she could not pretend that everything was fine between them, not when he left her with a broken heart and a broken promise. "Look, Riven, I appreciate that you saved me. But I don't need you to protect me, at least not anymore. I can do it by myself… as I have done during all this time."

Musa refused to let the emotions that flow through Riven's eyes affect her. She decided to walk away and when their shoulders collided she could not prevent a chill running through her entire anatomy, nor that his male colony intoxicated her nostrils. Ignoring her desire to cry for being an insensitive idiot with him, she left the cave heading for the ship of the Specialists.

Brandon watched them both. Her best friend left the place with anguish painted on her face, and Riven kept staring at a fixed point on the ground certainly affected by the words of the musical fairy. He shared a look with Sky who gave him a settlement while offering the Winx and the boys to start heading where the ship was waiting.

"Riven," Brandon called when only the two of them were left inside. The nominee looked up at him, "you must give her time. You know how unrepentant she can be. Let her clarify her own ideas and she will come to you to fix things."

"I know. And I don't really blame her for not wanting to know anything about me," Riven muttered storing his weapons. "But... I really want to fix things, Brandon. I want to do things right this time," sincerity overflowed with his voice and his eyes. Brandon had never heard so much longing in his friend's voice. "I don't want to lose her. Not anymore."

"You still love her, right?"

"I never stop doing it."

Brandon smiled. He knew that his best friend did not want to give in to emotionally bond again with Riven because somehow he had broken not only her heart but also her feminine pride. From the little he could see, it seemed that Riven had finally changed for the better and returned to recover the love of the only woman he loved in his life: The most stubborn and obstinate music fairy, Musa Wang.

"Good. I will talk to her to convince her to talk to you."

"Thank you, bro." Riven said with a smile.

"Don't thank. I know how much you two love each other. And I prefer you as her boyfriend before that Orlando guy **(2)**, whom she mention but never told me where she knows him." Brandon said, vaguely remembering when Musa appeared with Critty **(3)** speaking wonders about a talented musician. Unfortunately she didn't comment much about the young man's life so he could start a search on his own to find out about the boy who attracted his best friend's attention.

"Who is Orlando?"

"Forget it," he said quickly when he saw the confused face of his friend. "We better reach the others."

Riven debated in his mind whether or not he should do what his interior ordered. He needed to talk to someone about it, he would have been more comfortable if he talked to Helia about the subject but his friend had already left with Flora and what better way to ask for advice from Brandon Lancaster himself **(4)**, who was practically a brother to the woman he loved.

"Can you keep a secret?" His question made the squire stop instead.

"I am a grave."

"It has to do with what I've been doing the year I disappeared with whom and where." The nervousness in Riven's voice disturbed Brandon a bit.

"Oh, man, what did you do?"

* * *

Musa kept pounding on the floor of the ship with her foot as a sign of nerves. The arrival in Alfea was so distant that she deeply wish she had flown on her own so as not to have to face her fears. She was afraid to lift her gaze from the ground. Everyone had given her her space, especially Riven, the only one who approached was Nex to release sarcastic comments about the situation, apparently "entertaining" for him.

When the Specialists and the Winx met her on the outskirts of the place she was not at all relieved that Brandon and Riven had fallen behind talking about who knows what. Her friends had smiled in understanding, less Flora, who maintained a neutral countenance. Musa had a slight suspicion that at some point Flora and Riven were a kind of best friend as she and Brandon were before he left. Perhaps that was the reason why the fairy of nature felt in a commitment to be both part of him and hers.

Sky just hugged her briefly whispering that everything would be fine when she least expected it. Why did everyone give her good vibes when she was being a complete witch with Riven? She did not deserve it. Her way of thinking and behaving was not working at the same time as it should be that day. Musa thought one way but acted another since Riven's appearance.

She had boarded the ship long before her best friend and ex-boyfriend appeared. She chose the farthest seat of all and with a large window. Thirty minutes ago they remained flying.

"What a day," said Bloom's voice. Turning to see her, she found her sitting beside her with a smile of compassion. "How is your wound going?"

"It hurts like hell," she replied hoarsely. "Yeah... I want the day to end quickly and I came the night to sleep in a row until tomorrow."

"As nice and pleasant as it sounds, I see it complicated with this to save the stars of the universe," she murmured. "I still hope that one day we will have a normal year."

Musa laughed at her friend's wish. As much as she wanted it she saw it impossible with all the problems they had all those years since they were just little girls and since they began their studies in Alfea.

"I suppose someday we will."

Bloom bit her lower lip. She knew from Sky that Riven had come back for Musa —although that was not new— but the emotional state of the music fairy was not going well long before he returned. With all the weight of protecting the universe Musa also added her father's illness and that she had to watch over him every second. Bloom did not believe that her friend could tolerate another disastrous relationship or that Riven would disappear again from her life.

"Did you talk to Cleo?"

"Yes. Finally. She got another phone and my dad is fine."

"If it seems good to you we can go to Melody with you before embarking on the mission. Twinkly said it would be better if we accompanied her to Lumenia as soon as possible to speak with her queen."

"I was thinking about it. We could make a stop there. My dad will be very happy." the fault of not being able to stay with her father to take care of him still did not dissipate at all even though he forced her to continue her heroin work and assure her that he was in the good care of a expert as Cleo was.

"What's up, girls?" Nex appeared above the seats from behind. "Is this a conversation of broken hearts? I can help if you want, especially you Musa, I'm good at giving advice. Can't you let go the past?"

"Get lost."

"Oh, come on! I'm just trying to help make it easier for you to be near your ex-boyfriend.

"Nex..." Bloom warned under her breath.

"I don't need your help."

"It must be difficult for you. I mean you don't have the slightest idea of what Riven has been doing all this time... how many new girls he will have met or if he will have found someone new to give some love..."

"Nex, I would like to share a few words with you." said Layla, appearing and smiling falsely. She grabbed his ear and dragged him to the other end of the ship with him complaining about the pain.

"He's so insufferable." Musa growled, crossing her arms.

"It's his way of expressing his love for you… I suppose," the redhead said hesitantly. "You have to talk to Riven, anyway," she saw how the blue-haired was ready to protest and decided to continue saying: "I know that your pride prevents you from wanting to let him approach you but I can bet that your heart wants more than anything in the world that he explained everything to you and start over again. I know because once I was in your situation" it was when she discovered that Brandon and Sky had exchanged identities and that when he thought he was dating 'Brandon' it was really Prince Sky and that he was engaged to Princess Diaspro. Bloom's pride prevented her from letting Sky explain how things went for a long time.

"But this is totally different. He left to change for the better, yes, I did understand that and somehow supported him in his decision. What does not close me is why he said he would be here for when I will need him. Promising me that he would be there for me, perhaps not as my boyfriend but yes as a friend. Well, he just got deleted from the map. Now he is here and I swear that I have to control myself for not to jump to devour his mouth or for not to hit him because I am a damn spiteful!" she finish almost breathless.

Bloom watched her at all surprised. Musa and Layla were perhaps the most difficult to talk about expressing their feelings.

"Then tell him. Chatting with each other about how each one feels will be liberating for both of you."

After that little talk, Bloom left to rest next to Sky. Shortly after, Nex appeared along with Layla and apologized to Musa for what he said above arguing that the blood did not go all the way to his head and that's why he said so much nonsense —all this under Layla's gaze on him—. Musa watched as Brandon approached her after trying to make Stella comfortable and resting, imagining that he would give her a similar advice as that of Domino's princess.

"Let me guess. You come to tell me that I should talk to him, right?" Indicated the musical fairy without looking at him.

"What you eat that you guess?"

"You are the third person on the day that tells me to do it."

"So why are you so stubborn and don't do what you are advised?" Brandon asked, settling beside her. He loved his relationship with Musa because it was very easy for him to understand and know what happened in her little head and vice versa. However, he still didn't understand why she was trying hard to avoid the issue of Riven.

"Because I am hard headed," she replied in an obvious tone. When she heard him snort she turned to look at him. "I will talk to him but first I have to try to manage my impulse of idiocy because since I saw all I do is behave like a real bitch."

"It's a good plan to start," he nodded to himself. "How long do you think you'll clear your mind and go ahead?"

"I really don't know."

"Musa, please..."

"Brandon I already promised you, Layla and Bloom that I'll talk to Riven when I'm ready to do it."

Brandon took a deep breath. Yes, his best friend was definitely very hard and impertinent.

"Promise me not to lengthen it so much, Musa. Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today." He said in a hesitation. She raised an eyebrow at his tone but also nodded slowly.

"I promise."

Muse shown with a hand movement a cable headset. One entered her ear at the same time she extended the leftover to him. Brandon accepted it with a smile as they both settled into the seats to rest with the relaxing background music.

Riven watched to both by the reflection of the control screen. In the past he would have altered with such closeness to that pair but now the truth was grateful that Brandon is someone so essential and indispensable in Musa's life. He imagined that his friend was always for her at all times of need or support since he left. Riven had asked Sky to watched Musa's safety instead of Brandon because he hadn't needed to ask him to do it because Brandon had already taken care of Musa all the time since they met.

The boy noticed a movement beside him. Flora was admiring him with a sweet smile on the seat that was free beside him. He couldn't help smiling slightly as a greeting.

It sounded strange that Riven considered someone very close to him as was Flora, especially when he used to repudiate the entire female population —except Musa—. It may be required that the fairy of nature did not care about his facet as an insensitive lout and that he had much beyond that mask, discovering a boy with many insecurities and problems with his environment. Flora more than once helped Riven as much as in his personal conflicts as well as when discussing with Musa. After Musa, Flora Donatti was the one who knew him best.

"Hard day?"

"Hard week," he murmured the answer. "I could use a good bath and a nap. But from what I heard, you have an important mission ahead."

"The surprise will be when we don't have a mission," she said by leaning on the seat "Helia has told me about your reunion. It fills me with joy that you have decided to return."

"I had to do it at some point." Riven placed the autopilot so he could rest his arms. His friends were resting with their partners, except Musa and Brandon who were still talking with their headphones on. "It feels good to be back."

"I hope you have in mind that there are certain issues that you should discuss with certain people."

"I know."

"It hasn't been easy for her, you know? Pretending that everything was fine when we all knew it was the opposite... I am not throwing anything in your face. I just want you to know it so that mistakes don't happen again," a grin adorned the girl's face. "Musa may verse as a strong and tenacious girl but there is always a break when we had enough to stand still. With this new mission and with the status of her father..."

"What happened to her father?" Asked Riven alarmed.

"It is not for me to tell you but I can assure you that he is well," Flora hastened to say when she saw his face full of panic. Riven would probably never have forgiven himself if something bad had happened to Musa's father and he wasn't there for her. "I know it shouldn't have been easy for you either, Riven, that's why you have to find a way for Musa to talk to you. Although she behaves in this elusive way we both know she wants to know what happened to you. Chat between you will be comforting I'm sure of it. I couldn't bear to see you two that far apart. You two had something so beautiful and at the same time so drastic and both passed a lot of obstacles so that everything ends in nothingness itself…"

"Did anyone ever mention that you have a gift with words?"

"I'll take it as a compliment." The young woman turned to look at her blue-haired friend. "I must ask: Do you still feel the same about her?"

"I never stop loving her, Flora. But I had to get away so as not to sink her with me." Said the specialist sincerely.

"And I am proud of you that you could solve your problems and that you have returned, of course." Riven smiled again at the bright smile of the chestnut. It was impossible not to see her as a younger sister to protect.

"Go to rest. I'll let you know when we're about to land." He muttered when he saw her yawn. Flora nodded as she lay down on a sleeping Helia.

Riven felt a relief run through his body. He not only hoped to fix things with Musa but also to work on repairing the relationship with all his friends that he left behind in the same way.

* * *

Once the ship landed on the Alfea campus, the Winx and the Specialists came down to head for the headmistress Faragonda's office to report on the situation in the caverns.

"This is the right time to talk to him." Tecna whispered when she was at her height.

Musa rolled her eyes as she huffed under her breath. That throughout the day her friends —and Brandon— would spend telling her what she had to do that she was already taking her out of her boxes. And today was a day that didn't bring her in a good mood.

"Thank you." she said simply.

Tecna detected the bitterness she used and smiled with amusement.

"Good luck." and she walked away.

Musa saw an opportunity to make passes with Riven now that they were last in the line.

"Riven..." Her voice came out more weaker than she expected. He stopped his walk and turned to look at her. _I deserve it_, she thought when she saw his face devoid of emotions. "I want... I want to apologize not only for what happened in the caves but for having behaved like a complete witch with you since you arrived. I also want to thank you for saving me, if you had not appeared I do not know what would have been of me sincerely...

"Musa," her name coming out of his mouth was so satisfying to him, "there's nothing to apologize for, I honestly can't blame you for feeling and acting that way. I really deserve it." He took a step forward. "You also don't have to thank me for saving you. I would give up my own life for you as many times as necessary **(4)**. I know that I am no longer worthy of your trust because I was an idiot for not keeping the promise I made to you but if you let me explain everything I promise you that I will never leave your side again. Just… please give me one last chance." He asked in a whisper when their bodies were only inches away from touching. His violet eyes shone in joy as they looked deeply into the beautiful dark blue eyes.

She blushed quickly at the sweet words. She stop listening to the voice of her mind to obey her heart. She threw herself on top of him, wrapping him in a big hug, instantly being caught by his arms. Riven curled his strong arms around the small waist of the fairy and rested his cheek on top of her head, smelling the essence of jasmine that her bluish hair gave off.

Musa felt that she was going to faint at any moment when she saw that nothing was part of her imagination. Sh was back in the arms of the love of her life and a few tears began to go down her eyes to her chin at the possibility of having him by her side since things had changed for the better. She would give him one last chance because she knew that from now on she could not live a life without him in it.

"I missed you so much." she admitted choppy against his chest.

"Oh, Musa... you can't get an idea of how much I needed you." he murmured, raising her chin and gently kissing her forehead.

They stayed a few minutes like that, just staring into each other's eyes: As if they were trying to treasure each other's eyes in the depths of their hearts. Both had waited so long for that reunion that they wanted the world to stop just there. They just needed to be in each other's arms and look into each other's eyes to get the idea that that was not just a mere illusion.

"Ahem," they both saw Stella at the end of the hall with a mischievous smile decorating her face but that didn't stop them from staying in each other's arms. "As much as I loved this kind of reconciliation, Faragonda is waiting for us in her office. Apparently she has important visits. We saw some mens enter who we suppose they're royal soldiers for their armor and flags."

"Royalty? Just in case you saw the badges that the flags had? Something that gave you some indication of what kingdom they came from?" Riven asked cautiously.

Stella put her finger in her chin.

"I didn't pay much attention, to tell you the truth. But hey! I don't think it's something to be alarmed about. The faster we talk to Faragonda the faster you can go see Ophelia to cure that." She pointed out to Musa's forehead, "and your Romeo can keep you company. God will know how long this Juliet has been waiting for your return."

"Stella," the young woman screamed though he laughed at his nickname. "We go after you." The blonde began to walk away. Riven and Musa separated from the physical act in which they were wrapped in genuine smiles. "After I see Ophelia, if you want, we can go for a walk and talk about... us."

"I'd love to." He brought the knuckles of her hand to his mouth leaving a sweet kiss there. Musa was surprised with the action. Never, not in her wildest dreams, would have imagined Riven doing something like that.

Riven was responsible for intertwining his fingers with those of Musa. The warmth of their joined hands caused a pleasant sensation in both.

Despite all the bad things, they were both there again. It would take a while for the two to begin working hard on the factors that led them to break their relationship in the first place. Musa had no idea what Riven had gone through on his own, Riven also didn't know what Musa went through in his absence, but they both seemed willing to leave the past behind and start from scratch.

They found their friends waiting at the entrance of Faragonda's office. The first to see them coming was Tecna who smiled slightly when she saw her best friend and Riven with their hands clasped. The next to notice them was Nex who soon opened his mouth.

"Well, it seems that I was right, right Musa? You know, our talk on the trip…" he commented with a mischievous smile. Layla, who was next to him, trampled on his foot. "Just kidding!" he hissed from the pain of the stomp.

"Glad to see you are finally together." Flora said happily.

"This means that... Brandon owes me ten dollars." Sky smiled at the grin installed on his best friend's face. "Anyway, it's good to know that things are fine between you."

"We'd better get in." Musa interrupted what would be a shower of congratulations from his group of friends. There were still things she had to discuss with Riven in private.

Bloom knocked on the door a couple of times until an invitation to enter was heard. Faragonda was turning her back to the entrance, in front of her there were tall and robust figures.

"Hello Winx, Specialists," Faragonda greeted cordially. Her gaze traveled to the magenta-haired boy. "Mr. Hawthorne," she inclined her head. "We were waiting for you," behind her came a tall, old man with bronze-plated armor and silver details. He had a demanding stance although a gentle countenance. Behind him were three men in the same armor and strange spears of what appeared to be gold. Musa felt Riven tense at his side. "Mr. Wells has come looking for you."

"Your Majesty," Wells said, bowing in front of the magenta specialist. The other soldiers imitated his action.

They all let out an exclamation of surprise —less certain chestnut— at the same time that Musa almost choked on her own saliva. She wish she had heard wrong but that was impossible since her ears were never wrong.

The musical fairy watched as Riven sought her gaze with a hint of despair and guilt in his eyes. It seems that he felt sorry for what was happening. Quickly she released her hand from his.

"Y-Your Majesty?" Musa asked once she could find her voice. She addressed Mr. Wells when she saw that Riven did not dare answer the question. "Sir, excuse my daring but... What... what do you mean by 'Your Majesty'?"

Mr. Wells straightened from his posture and with a smile full of pride he said loudly and clearly:

"I present to you His Royal Highness, firstborn of the Great King Aslan and the Benevolent Queen Geraldine, to Prince Riven Hawthorne of Abydos, heir to the Royal Crown."

* * *

**REFERENCES****:**

**(1)**I honestly did not see the whole seventh season in its entirety. I saw it little and nothing since it is hard for me to find the chapters in Latin Spanish audio and my English is not too good. I only saw some chapters skipping them because I didn't find all translated.

**(2)**I admit that I shipp a little bit Musa with Orlando, but I still knew that nothing was going to happen because Musa is destined to be with Riven 3.

**(3)**I loved Critty! She and Amarok were my favorite fairy animals. I would have liked very much that Riven and Critty had met.

**(4)**Most of my characters have their own last names.

**(5)**I wrote this phrase remembering the last chapter of the second season when Riven sacrifices himself to save Musa from Darkar's spell.

* * *

**UPDATE:** 05/10/2019.


	4. THE PRINCE OF ABYDOS

**3**

**THE PRINCE OF ABYDOS**

**MAGIXPEDIA**

"Abydos **(1)** was the second planet that originated after the creation of the planet Domino. With more than 2600 years of origin, Abydos is one of the leading planets of the Magic Dimension. Also known as the home of the _Abydians_, a powerful race with an honorable and courageous peacekeeping force. Legend has it that great creatures and great Nordic Gods inhabited the planet in its early years leaving a royal lineage throughout history.

Abydos has a great diversity of flora and fauna. This is generated by the variety of biomes and biotypes that it has. It also has coniferous forests scattered throughout the territory and has a large desert with a lush forest and a rainforest. Abydos also has a mountain range and several growing glaciers. All these areas have their own biome with its native flora and fauna.

Abydos is characterized by its great monuments and its enormous architectures made of imperial gold, for having the latest technologies for the manufacture of new weapons and ships and for being founders of the SAT (_**S**__ecurity __**A**__lliance against __**T**__errorism_) a group specialized in Magical terrorist incidents whose scope is global with several members and offices throughout the dimension.

It is usually considered a worthy rival for the Eraklyon planet and being a strong ally with the planet Solaria, the planet Andros and with the planet Domino _—_alliances that remain in force_—_.

The Abydian government operates through a strict monarchy that separates the royal family from the regular Abydians. His current king, the Great King Aslan **(2)**, rules Abydos in peace and harmony along with his benevolent wife, Queen Geraldine."

* * *

—_Musa… I can explain everything…_

To say that the new news had left her surprised was little. Shocked and petrified it would be the closest thing to describe how she felt. Normally she was used to news of this magnitude but when it came to someone with whom she shared a strong bond, she was greatly impacted. She didn't know whether to demand answers or to laugh like a maniac believing it is a simple joke in bad taste or to remain as a living statue.

How could it be true that Riven, _her Riven_, belongs to royalty? As far as she knew he had grown up in orphanages when his parents "abandoned him" in an alley to his fate and that on the one hand explained his hostile attitude in his early years. All his life he had grown up as a child who needed the love of his parents. Musa more than once witnessed the pain and resentment that Riven held in his heart for having grown up without a family and without parents to love him.

The question she asked herself: Was it true what Riven said about his whole life or was he having a "double life"? Something similar to what Brandon and Sky had done in the first year of exchanging roles. Although she felt that this was worse than that. Much worse. Perhaps Riven Hawthorne had hidden his true identity in order to "have a normal life" like the rest.

She saw Riven in front of her moving his lips quickly. However, she wasn't able to hear it, because neither her ears nor her body were able to react. Mr. Wells looked confusedly at the headmistress Faragonda who spoke a few words to Stella who was closest to her. She watched as Mr. Wells approached Riven by taking him a few steps away from her, watching them exchange words.

"Musa," the woman's distant voice heard. Faragonda put both hands on her shoulders. "You will go immediately with Miss Solace, Miss Burton and Mr. Lancaster to the infirmary so that Ophelia can heal that wound. A lot of blood is still coming out of it and you are paler than normal. You must go now."

The fairy nodded repeatedly. If her head hurt before, now it seemed that at any moment it would explode. From one moment to another she was filled with too much stress and just wanted to go to bed to sleep, if possible, a full week.

"Musa..." Riven said when he saw Stella, Tecna and Brandon approach her to help her get to the door. He stepped forward when Wells got in his way.

"Your Majesty, this matter cannot wait," he muttered with a touch of hesitation. Perhaps because he did not want the prince to think he was a nosy total.

"I don't care. I must talk to her!"

"It's all right," Musa said with effort. Everyone looked at her but she was staring into Riven's eyes. "We'll talk later. As we agreed, okay?"

Riven nodded without taking off her gaze. All the fear he felt slowly evaporated from his body when she saw no negative emotion in the bluish gaze which was only fraught with confusion and bewilderment. For a moment he believed that all hope of fixing things with her had vanished with the hasty discovery of his new identity. But from what he saw, Musa was willing to listen to his explanations.

"I'll leave you a few minutes to talk quietly," Faragonda announced to him and Commander Wells. "Girls, Specialists, join me outside please." The woman waited until everyone came out to close the door behind her.

The guards scattered in every corner of the office to give them their space to talk. Riven sighed running a hand through his hair before looking at Wells.

"I suppose my father sent you. Right?"

"Yes, your Majesty. Your father sent me to know how you were and about your response to the proposal made in Abydos. Or if you have any objection about it," he replied vehemently. "A week has passed and they haven't received any news from you. Your mother is very worried about you."

"I know," he said heavily. He felt bad for having promised his mother that he would call him at least twice that week and not comply. It was even strange to have someone to watch over their safety, and even weirder is to have someone to refer to as _father_ and _mother_. "I lost the communicator they gave me on a mission," he admitted "and on my father's subject… Tell him that tonight I will call him without fail. I still can't leave, Haymitch, not now that I can fix all the damage I did here."

Haymitch Wells was the Chief of the Guard of the Palace of Abydos. He had been in charge of this position for more than thirty years, being a right hand for the Great King Aslan. He was practically part of the royal family as another member, having been living there almost all his life and being completely loyal to the Kings.

"All right, Your Majesty. I will let them know. Please take care of your backs."

"Don't worry. I trusted them... They are the closest I had to a family." Wells nodded in understanding.

Riven left the office first meeting his friends exchanging a few words with Faragonda. When they saw him, everyone fell silent, his friends looked at him with confusion and some countenance who shouted an immediate explanation, on the other hand the remaining Winx didn't leave their astonishment.

"We will retire back to Abydos, Your Majesty," Wells revered. "Gentlemen, ladies, Miss Faragonda." He salute nodding toward the group. Faragonda gestured that she would accompany them outside the campus.

Once the adults left the place, the Specialists soon bombed Riven with questions about what happened minutes ago. Well, in reality those who were demanding answers were Sky and Nex while Helio and Timmy were on the sidelines but waiting for him to answer the crazy questions of their two friends.

"How is it possible that you are the lost heir of Abydos?" Layla's voice surpassed that of the boys. In addition to his sudden comeback what surprised her most was her unexpected identity: Riven was a prince. And not in the figurative sense. Actually it was Prince Riven of Abydos. She still didn't leave her impression; Abydos was a strong ally of Andros. She even knew the Kings, the Great Aslan and the benevolent Queen Geraldine for having crossed them at important dinners and dances in her kingdom. Nor is it that Abydos is a reserved planet, everyone knew that it was one of the most economically and socially organized planets. "Have you always known or do you barely know?"

"I barely know," he replied bluntly. "I will explain later. I must talk to Musa first."

"You didn't tell her, I must guess," the brunette hissed between her teeth. Now it was clear why Musa's reaction. Riven still hadn't mentioned anything about the situation. "If you want things to work with Musa, again, you must be honest and tell her EVERYTHING. I don't want to see my best friend cry for you again."

"Layla..." Flora warned softly, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"It is fine, Flora," Riven interrupted. "I still haven't had time to speak well with Musa alone: First because she avoided me, and I don't blame her for that. We just had a few minutes to chat before Stella called us to hurry," he said. He stare at Andros' princess with determination. "I am aware of all the damage I caused to Musa, there is no day or night that I don't reproach myself for that, but here I am: _I returned for and only for her_. I want to let go that fool who lost the opportunities that presented to him to make her the most loved and happy woman in the magical dimension. I am here to repair all the mistakes I made and caused in the past, both to Musa and to you all. And yes, I learned a long time ago that I have a whole nation in charge so I want Musa to be the first to know how things happened. If there is anything I can tell you for sure, Layla: I love her, and I will never stop doing it." Riven ended up saying.

Layla raised an eyebrow at the firmness and security that the magenta-haired radiated his voice and posture. Now she was completely sure that Riven was worthy and deserving of Musa's love.

"Okay. I believe you," Layla said after a few seconds in silence. "But it's the last time you do nonsense that breaks my best friend's heart. Musa loves you too and is willing to give you another chance: Don't waste it." She reacheda hand out, Riven took it and gave her a little squeeze sealing the truce between them to get along relatively well from that moment.

"I promise you that I will take all the doubts you have. But I urge to tell Musa everything first."

"Don't worry about it. We can wait," Timmy said, ignoring how Nex complained under his breath. "You know you have all our support."

"And it will always be that way." the fairy of nature concluded with a sweet smile.

"Thank you." said the Prince of Abydos before walking away.

A less weight on his shoulders. As much as he still didn't answer his friends' doubts, it was nice to know that he still had their unconditional support. Now I only had one goal in mind: Talk to Musa and fix things between them.

That was his only priority: _Recover her back_.

* * *

"The good thing is that it isn't so deep. You only need a few points."

Ophelia continued to sew the gap with Musa's laments in the background. The musical fairy occasionally squeezed Tecna's hand when the needle pressed against her skin. Brandon and Stella were in a corner exchanging words quickly evidently the fairy demanded answers from the specialist on the recent topic.

The nurse gave a couple of tweaks to put a gauze covering the wound. Twinkly, flying over the woman's side, handed her a piece of tape to adjust the gauze.

"In a few days you will have to come to get the points. Most likely, it leaves a slight scar, but it is nothing that a cream does not repair," Ophelia said with a smile and walking away. "Before bed someone cleans the wound with hydrogen peroxide so that it doesn't become infected," she informed Tecna, knowing that this was her roommate. The fairy nodded. "I will leave you to chat. I'll go talk to Miss Faragonda." she announced before leaving.

Brandon and Stella moved away from the corner where they were piled up. Tecna scanned Musa's vital signs with her virtual watch, discovering she had low blood pressure. She quickly spread a bottle of water that the musical fairy drank halfway.

"This day never ceases to amaze me," Stella said, still surprised. Her bright blond hair was rearranged on a high bun. "How is it possible that Riven, _aka Grumpy Riv_, is the prince son of Uncle Aslan and Aunt Geraldine!? I've known them years ago for being like a few second parents to me! Clearly Riven didn't inherit the patience of Great King Aslan at all."

"Makes sense. The history of Abydos is known to all. If we start thinking, it is logical that he is the lost crown prince. Riven grew up in a Magix orphanage that bears the last name of the Royal Family of Abydos, that's why his last name is Hawthorne," reasoned the technology fairy wisely. Musa nodded slightly as she herself had given her best friend such information. "I guess they will have done some DNA tests to determine if it was true or not." She brought her index finger to his chin. "Unless... He has known it all this time..."

"No," Brandon meddled for the first time in the conversation. "Riven may be an idiot, but not a liar," he defended his friend seriously. "He learned a short time after stopping at Abydos. He didn't find them: _They_ found him."

"Wait... You knew it?" Musa asked weakly as she realized the words of her best friend. "Of course you knew." She added after seeing the apologetic look Brandon gave her.

"That's why I told you to talk to him as quickly as possible. It is not an issue that should be taken lightly," said the chestnut, leaning on the wall. "Riven was willing to give you your space to clarify your ideas and when you were ready he would tell you everything from beginning to end. I guess fate played a trick on it and you found out the way you shouldn't know..."

"He's a prince," Musa whispered to herself. She closed her eyes wearily and with one hand she covered her mouth. "Oh God... He's a prince..."

"Although it is very unreal and not even in my wildest dreams I would have imagined it, I do not see it as bad as it is of royalty," Stella said, sitting on the other side of Musa. "Look on the bright side: Riven is heir to the Crown of one of the most prestigious planets in the dimension. He can buy you everything you want; Jewelry, dresses, shoes, Ask him to give you a piece of land in Abydos!"

"Stella," Tecna hissed in warning, seeing how her best friend paled much more. "Musa, what's up?"

"Do you still don't understand? Riven _is_ part of royalty," she murmured with her voice being muffled by her hand. "It means that he will be under the power of the Royal Protocol. And Abydos, as far as I know, has a strict monarchy system... In royalty they still deal with marriages arranged to form alliances with other kingdoms... As they did with Layla and Nabu at the time," the mention of the sorcerer caused the four they will be filled with nostalgia. "Why would the Kings of Abydos want a simple fairy as a couple of their heir son to the throne? Obviously Riven will be presented in the circle of royalty at any time and meet several much more beautiful and charismatic princesses... And I… would be nothing compared to a princess...

"Stop! You have to stop. Now!" The blonde interrupted sharply. Stella Solace was always a quiet girl, a bit outgoing, but there were times when anger took possession of her. As in that same moment. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to how you despise yourself! Not you, Musa Wang! The most beautiful, humble, spontaneous, intelligent and kind girl I've ever met in my life. You are beautiful, you have an angelic voice, your hair color is so striking and bright, the brightness of the color of your eyes causes envy of the good and you have a smile that illuminates the room. That is what we all see in you and there is no doubt that those qualities were what led Riven to fall in love with you." She adjusted the crazy bangs of her friend that covered her eyes. Musa couldn't believe that her friend's words were about to make her cry. "No other girl or princess can overshadow that. Because girls as special as you, Musa, are no longer found. You are _unique_."

"For the first time, I agree with Stella," Tecna said sweetly. "Riven loves you no matter you aren't from royalty. By God, Musa, listen to yourself! Why do you think that because he is now a prince he will not love you for being an 'ordinary' girl? After everything you went through together? And about marriage, Riven must take the throne as soon as possible so that there are no political problems and that means there can be no arranged marriage because by that time he will already be the King and can freely choose who to be with, no matter if his parents or the Royal Protocol forbids it."

"Musa, don't start creating absurd ideas in that crazy head of yours." Brandon stepped in front of her so she had to lower her gaze a little to see him well in the eyes. "Times change, and I'm sure Riven won't let stupid laws separate you from his side. What Stella and Tecna said is true: You are perfect wherever they see you." He gently stroked her knuckles. "Now give me a smile." Musa rolled her eyes but made a small, sincere smile. "I like that!"

"You better get some rest," the technology fairy rose from the stretcher, which the musical fairy slowly imitated her, "your defenses are low. The blow and the use of your powers weakened you significantly."

"And you look terrible," Stella added, earning a bad look from the purple-haired. "What?"

"Don't say more," the specialist sat back in front of Musa with his back to her. "Take the opportunity because it will be the first and last time I do this." She laughed as she climbed on top of his back, circled his waist with her legs like her arms on his neck and he grabbed her buttocks to hold her better. "Wow, I was ready to let go of a joke that you weigh a lot but you're just as light as a feather."

"It's because of the exercise you do when you must save the world multiple times," Musa replied, making her two friends laugh and the chestnut.

They roamed the halls being Musa charged by Brandon. Stella had separated from them to go to inform the boys about the state of the blue-haired being immediately followed by Twinkly. Tecna watched as her best friend quickly fell asleep with her head resting on the boy's shoulder.

They both rushed to the room. As always, the part of Tecna was perfectly tidy and comfortable. The area of Musa was a disaster: the sheet music scattered around her desk, where there were a lot of paper made balls —Brandon assumed that they were lyrics of songs that were not very successful—, and a pile of books unevenly arranged in a corner, in addition to the instruments piled carefully on the shelves. Without a doubt, Musa Wang and Tecna Burton were the most uneven roommates in history.

Brandon gently left Musa on her bed while Tecna took care of taking off her shoes and covering her with a blanket.

"I never saw her so... insecure of herself," she whispered, staring at her friend. "I was very surprised by everything she said."

"I know. Me too." The specialist sighed heavily, sliding a hand through his hair. "Perhaps with this nap the stress goes away. And you should also take one. You have had a long day."

"I will after saying goodbye to Timmy," she promised. There were a few knocks on the door. She came to open when she saw Riven in the hallway. "Hi Riven. Musa is resting," she said in a murmur. It isn't that she will not like him, they had a cordial relationship but neither could consider him her favorite person because of the disastrous relationship he had with her best friend. They didn't maintain much communication unless it was about Musa or Timmy: The only thing they both shared in common. "If you want to wait for her to wake up you can do it..."

"No, it's fine. When she wakes up, can you give this on my part?" Riven handed her a folded paper. Tecna took it immediately.

"Sure. Count on it."

Brandon left the room to approach them with fatigue marking his brown eyes.

"We'd better go. Saladin will be worried about not knowing anything about us," he muttered, drowning a yawn. "Let me know when she wakes up and how it goes and don't hesitate to call me." He addressed Tecna who nodded. "We will tell Timmy to come to say goodbye to you."

"Thank you guys," she gave them a smile before locking herself in her room.

Riven dated Brandon from the apartment.

"How was she?" He started the conversation. Tecna didn't mention anything about Musa's status, adding to the fact that he couldn't take a look to her, it didn't leave him very calm.

"Tired and sore. That nap will suit her," Brandon replied, leading him through the corridors of Alfea. "I regret that you haven't had the opportunity to explain everything. If it's any consolation, I took away that absurd idea that you really knew everything years ago. She came to think that it was a type strategy that Sky and I did in the first year of changing roles."

"That was what I was afraid of. But today I will talk to her, without fail. I will also arrange a couple of issues with my father to reach an agreement to let me stay and help them with the mission that the Winx have as much time as necessary."

Although Brandon had almost assimilated the idea that Riven was a prince, the situation seemed odd and somewhat comical. He had seen and heard his friend complain about the circle of royalty and how much he hated them. It seemed a kind of karma because now Riven belonged to that environment that he said he hated so much... that was funny. But the strange thing is to imagine the fact that his friend was the son of one of the most legendary and prestigious Kings of the dimension. There was no one who didn't admire the history and courage of the Great King Aslan.

"So... Prince of Abydos, huh?" He gestured with amusement. Riven let out a small growl of affirmation. "Now I understand why so much rivalry with Sky and with me the first years: It is in your _Abydian_ nature. You know, Abydos and Eraklyon are not very friends to say..."

"It was one of the things I thought when I found out about my true identity. My father is not very happy with the betrayal my great-grandfather suffered for Sky's family years ago," Riven murmured, "but he plans to offer a peace treaty with Eraklyon."

"I like to hear that."

At the entrance were his friends with the remaining Winx and little Lumen. They all sent an expectant look at the magenta-haired, perhaps asking him if he had been able to accomplish his task. Riven just ignored them looking directly at the ship.

"Musa is resting and Tecna stayed with her," Brandon told them, receiving his girlfriend in his arms. "She's waiting for you to say goodbye." He turned to the specialist with glasses. Timmy nodded in gratitude, beginning to walk quickly toward the building.

"We're already gone," Sky muttered. "Winx, and Twinkly, you have us at your disposal if you need help with this new mission."

"Yes! Like the old days but now all together!" Cried Stella, with emotion.

"We will try to find out everything we can on the subject. First we must have some clue where to start looking for the person responsible for these acts." Said the fairy of nature.

"We'll let you know any news we have." Bloom finished.

Riven decided to enter the ship imagining that his friends would have an intimate moment to say goodbye to their girls. It was strange. He supposed that Musa must have felt that way when he wasn't there and her friends met with their boys in public displays of affection.

But if things went as he planned them that night, Musa and Riven would cease to be two spectators of love that their friends professed to be the main protagonists.

* * *

Musa sat agitated in bed. Her chest rose and fell erratically. The dream she had was still fresh in her memory and she was disturbed to know that it was Valtor himself who wandered in her vision. It was strange because she was dreaming most quietly when the sorcerer appeared out of nowhere whispering the same words over and over again:

"_Dearie Musa, get ready for what's coming..._"

A shiver ran down her spine.

She had never dreamed of him, not even after he was defeated. He looked the same but Musa could see a spark of evil in his eyes, giving him a much more powerful appearance than before. She sensed that the fact that Valtor appeared in her dreams was not logical or normal at all: It must mean something.

The sky was already dark and the stars shone in the sky. She must have slept about three or four hours because it was already nine o'clock at night.

She watched as Tecna lay in her bed sleeping. She wore her clothes today, a sign that she barely laid her head on the pillow fell asleep. On her light table was a small paper where her name was written. With her magic she made the paper levitate towards her.

_**"Musa:**_

_**I will go for you at half past nine. There are a couple of things we need to talk about.**_

_**\- R.H"**_

Musa opened her eyes wide as she realized that there were only ten minutes left until the agreed time. Stumbling under the bed to grab socks and slippers that are closest to your reach. She tried to be as discreet as possible to leave the room without waking her friend, and she succeeded. But already in the room she tripped over the furniture while trying to put on the stockings quickly.

"What is all this fuss about!?" Stella left her room with an angry look. She wore a green mask all over her face. "Musa? What are you doing?" She asked when she saw her friend put on some slippers without realizing that she had two different colored socks on each foot. "If you are going to go somewhere, I must tell you that this look doesn't favor you."

"Riven will come for me in five minutes." The musical fairy replied nervously.

Stella opened her mouth, impressed.

"And you plan to go on a date with your pajamas on!? Musa Wang, how dare you?!" she snapped her fingers. Musa watched as her sleepwear changed to a much nicer one for the occasion. "That's better." The blue-haired wore a dress with a blue-black skirt and a white shirt with dots next to a brown belt tied at the waist. On her feet she wore black platform boots and her hair tied in a high ponytail. "I can't believe you were about to go so untidy to your date with Riven."

"It's not a date," Musa interrupted, feeling her cheeks get warm, "It will be just an outing of old friends to clear up some things..."

"Aha, and I was born yesterday," the blonde said sarcastically. "Will you give him a chance? And I don't mean that he explained what happened to him. I mean if you will give him another chance to get back together again…" the princess murmured slowly.

Musa froze with the question. Clearly Riven had asked for an opportunity... but to explain how things went. They never implied either of what _this_ opportunity meant.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I guess part of me wants us together again, but the other wants to take things more slowly... More than anything because we are not the same people we were a year ago. We both change, one way or another."

"Whatever happens as of today, I wished it was only for the better in your future. You deserve to be happy, no matter what."

Stella wrapped Musa in a hug.

Both could have clashed with their personalities in the first two years **(3)** but they still learned to understand each other over time. In addition to Stella knowing that Brandon saw Musa as the sister he always wanted to have that motivated them to get along better and linked them emotionally.

"Looks like your Romeo has arrived," Stella said when she broke away from the hug. Musa heard the sound of a motorcycle near the area. "You can use my balcony to pick you up so don't wake up Tecna." she pointed out.

"Thank you, Stell."

"Don't thank me. It will be enough for me to be the first to tell how things went tonight."

Musa laughed.

"Count on it."

The fairy entered her friend's room. All full of sketches of complete designs and another half finished. She hurried out to the balcony watching a motorcycle at the other end just in front of the balcony of her room.

"Pss! Riven!" She murmured slightly. Musa watched as the specialist turned to look at her under the helmet and turned the direction of his motorcycle until he reached her. "Hi…" she whispered shyly.

"Hi," he said, his voice muffled by the helmet. Riven pulled out another smaller helmet from a compartment and extended it. "I hope you haven't lost the habit of riding a motorcycle," he added playfully.

Musa blushed.

"Give me that."

She put on her helmet quickly. Riven extended a hand to help her up in the back seat. Musa accepted the help and ignoring the butterflies that danced in her stomach, she settled into the seat. She doubt a few seconds to think about where to stand until she told herself that she looked like a teenage girl having her first love at first sight and that she looked pathetic. Musa wrapped her arms around Riven's waist, feeling his abs under his shirt and leather jacket.

"Hold on tight." the specialist whispered before starting.

Musa throughout the trip rested her head on Riven's back, hugging his torso tightly at each acceleration of the vehicle. It was nice to relive moments like that because since Riven left, Musa had never climbed on another motorcycle. The feeling of vertigo was electrifying and exciting at the same time. And even more so when the pilot was about her handsome ex-boyfriend.

Riven parked a few minutes later. The blue-haired raised her face to observe that they were in Lake Roccaluce where they used to have their secret appointments in the afternoons or evenings after both slipped out of the curfew. He took off his helmet first and she imitated him seconds later. Once the specialist got off his motorcycle, he extended his hand again to help her get off the bike. The fairy smiled in thanks accepting it.

The Roccaluce Lake shone by the millions of fireflies that illuminated the place that night. The moon and stars reflected like a mirror in the lake, and the gentle breeze blew around them. Neither said anything. They only approached the shores of the lake to settle and sit there.

Musa didn't know where to start. Nor did she know if she should be the one to start the conversation, or if he should. She heard him let out a long sigh, and seeing him from the corner of her eye, she could tell how he felt nervous while playing with the laces of his combat boots.

_He looks adorable_, Musa thought, smiling slightly.

"When I was on the outskirts of the Oppositus kingdom, I decided to go to the kingdom of Callisto for a while." Riven began saying, staring at her ex-girlfriend's face, as she averted her gaze to the lake. "I stayed there for a week until one day I met a woman who offered to read my hand. I thought it was stupid for a moment but curiosity had controlled me and I accepted the request. She told me a lot of things that I didn't understand because it was a strange language, until in the end she told me that I should go to the planet Abydos if I really wanted to know who I am." He paused as he closed his eyes. Musa felt that her heart was about to get out of her chest, to hear the things he was saying and for the simple fact that he was in front of her. "The next day I left there although entry wasn't easy. Abydos has maximum security for being one of the leading planets. Upon arriving there, I decided to enlist in the Armed Forces of Abydos. Musa, you should have seen it... The facilities, the weapons, the ships... were fantastic!" he exclaimed with a special glow in his eyes, something Musa used to notice when he looked at her, when everything was fine between them. "I spent a few months training there as a soldier. One day I was in the center of the city where Rose Day was celebrated when everything went out of control. I didn't know what happened but I saw that a girl was about to be killed by a hooded man, luckily I was close to her and the other before the lunatic hurt her. It turns out that I had saved Princess Kenna of Abydos."

This time a glow of adoration appeared in Riven's eyes and hope in Musa declined upon seeing him, fearing the worst. What if he had stopped loving her to start falling in love with another girl? Musa couldn't compete against a princess. It was quite obvious that she would be very little compared to a princess born in a cradle of gold whose life was full of luxuries and surely her personality was totally refined. As much as Stella, Tecna and Brandon told her otherwise that afternoon, her self-esteem was on the floor at that very moment.

"And what happened next?" she asked trying to hide her lump in her throat.

"The royal family invited me to dinner in thanks for saving their daughter. It seemed absurd, I did nothing that someone else hadn't done. But Pharell, my army commander and who taught me everything new I know, advised me not to refuse an invitation as important as royalty. So I attended, seeing for the first time the Kings of Abydos: King Aslan and Queen Geraldine."

Musa kept listening to him carefully, watching different emotions cross his face when he told his story.

Riven explained how Queen Geraldine had recognized him just by looking him in the eye, since they both possessed the same violet eyes. The Queen had begun to cry, being comforted by her husband who was equally surprised. Both Kings thought they knew that this boy in front of them was their firstborn lost but to confirm it they had asked Riven if he let himself be shown the neck. Musa vaguely thought of the crown-shaped mark he wore on the back of his head, a mark she used to caress in their nights together after making love.

"It was finally true. I was the lost prince," Riven said with a drop of sarcasm. "The mark I have on the neck is a birthmark inherited from my father's part. My... my mother told me that when I was born peace didn't reign in Abydos. An old and powerful mad sorcerer planned revenge against my family and the Crown, it wasn't long before I was the main target. He kidnapped me and ran away with me. He thought that leaving me to my fate would be a good revenge for my parents. From what they told me, my father managed to beat him… but they never managed to find me," he muttered, his head down. "Years later they had Cedric and Kenna, my seventeen-year-old twin brothers. And finally Jayden, my six-years-old little brother. Can you believe it, Musa? I am older brother!"

Musa couldn't help smiling next to him. She knew how much her ex had suffered all his childhood and adolescence thinking that his parents had abandoned him to his fate and how he had to manage to survive on his own. Now Riven knew the truth that in reality his parents didn't leave him helpless: No, rather he was brutally removed from his parents when he was too young to remember.

"It makes me very happy that you found the truth and met your family, Riven," Musa murmured, for the first time in the day, sympathetically. "I guess you have already found everything you were looking for."

"Not everything," he replied, staring into her eyes. "Everything I told you in the hall was true, Musa. The reason I couldn't keep my promise was that, even if it sounds like I'm kidding you, I lost my cell phone a week after installing in Oppositus. I didn't want to spend the little money that I had gathered to support myself during the trip, so I decided to give up being able to communicate with you and the others. But I wrote a couple of letters where I told everything from the day I left until the last of my journey, which unfortunately I didn't send. Then when I went to Abydos and all this "crown prince" happened, my father spent it teaching me and instructing me all about what it means to be a King... He wants me to take his place as King of Abydos. To date, no one outside the Abydos kingdom knows about me and my true identity: Abydos is very reserved in some things and we have managed to keep the news from coming to light in the whole dimension. At first I rejected the offer a million times, besides I didn't imagine myself ruling a planet, it was not fair to my brother Cedric who was the next successor to the crown. But he didn't want the job either, so I was tied up. Over time I saw how my father reigned the town and in some way or another, if I was really destined to be the ruler of Abydos, I wanted to do whatever it was to be just as loyal and just as my father is with his people. This time I have been learning to become a good leader to take charge of an immense nation like Abydos."

Musa's heart began to beat faster when she felt Riven gently hold her hand.

"Musa, in all this time there hasn't been a moment when I haven't thought about you. Wherever I went, with every step I took, you were always there: In my mind, and in my heart. My main reason for leaving was you Musa: I wanted to become the man you deserve. Someone who knew how to appreciate you, understand you and love you the way you deserve it. This time in Abydos helped me a lot to discover myself and grow as a person, not only psychologically but also morally. Finally I can say that now I am at peace with myself, I realized that we must accept that in life there are ups and downs: Nothing is perfect and everything is learning. Defeats and blows provide enormous growth opportunities. I feel good saying that I have clear my present and future goals." He stroked a strand of bluish hair that stood out rebelliously at the side of her face. "And I am completely sure that I want you included in my future. Because you were also my main reason to return. I still love you like the first time, Musa. Never think that at some point I stopped doing it because it was never like that." He clarified placing his palms on the girl's cheeks and forcing her not to look away from his gaze. "I know that this of my title as official prince is something that neither of us expected, but if you want me to give up the job... I will. I would do anything for you. I don't want to have the world in my hands if you're not in it."

Musa sighed raggedly at that statement. Suddenly she felt her heart begin to beat rapidly and as her cheeks became hotter than they already were, and she bet that Riven could feel the heat from her cheekbones. Slowly she laid her hands on the boy's, realizing that the skin of the young man was still as rough as his hands were still larger than hers.

"I would never ask you to give up on yourself to make me happy, Riven," Musa murmured. She might have wanted it in the past but now she clearly saw how wrong she was. "Don't think about it. And yes, I might be disturbed by your new identity... but I don't care. Of course, if you don't mind being with a girl as insignificant as I am." She laughed so he could see that it didn't hurt to say those words.

"I can't believe you said that. You, Musa Wang: Main guardian fairy of Melody and savior of the magical dimension, an important member of the Winx Club, who is also a famous singer on planet Earth and who has millions of followers here in the dimension waiting for her to make her own music, and who is a role model of millions of fairies... And you have the nerve to define yourself as 'insignificant'?" He released in disbelief. "Then they say it's me who says idiocy every two seconds..."

"Riven!" she pouted his arm playfully as she let out a laugh.

"Thats the smile I want to see every day."

"This is weird. You sound like Helia." Now it was his turn to laugh. A real laugh, beautifully melodious for the ears of the fairy. "I have never stopped feeling it. I admit that I wanted to and tried to stop doing it but it was only a capricious game in order to make me feel that nothing affected me from our breakup. I suppose they are right when they say that 'first love is never forgotten'," Musa said, her gaze steady. Riven looked her deeply in the eye. "I love you, Riven."

In a second, Musa rose and coupled her lips over his, drawing him by the neck. Riven was paralyzed by the sudden action, catching him off guard for a little while. He didn't take long to return the kiss, wrapping one hand around her small waist and another sinking it into the silky bluish hair.

It was a soft kiss, like the brush of rain. But that was not theirs, so the kiss became much more passionate and needed with the passing seconds. Their mouths danced in an endless dance while their tongues went into battle to see who took control over the other and their hands wandered over each other's body.

Only when their lungs implored air was it when they separated. Their foreheads collided softly and their agitated breaths mixed. Riven was the first to open his eyes, meeting those dark blue eyes that brought him in love. He smiled, leaving a sweet kiss on her forehead in a way of protection and affection, not noticing how she began to drop a few small tears of great joy.

For the first time in a long time, Musa felt fully happy.

* * *

**REFERENCES****:**

**(1)**_Abydos_ is a fictional planet within the "Stargate" universe, a series that my parents used to watch and therefore I was also forced to see it. To the kingdom of Abydos I imagined it as Asgard of Marvel movies/comics, a similar style.

**(2)**Do you notice that I am a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia?

**(3)**How to forget that time when Musa seemed to hit Stella at any moment! I really liked her badass attitude.

* * *

**A/N: ANY CRITICISM OR HELP IS ALWAYS WELCOME!**


	5. THE RED THREAD

**4**

**THE RED THREAD**

The news that the heir to the Crown of Abydos had appeared spread throughout the universe just a few days after Riven's arrival in Magix. It was broadcast live from the Royal Parliament of Abydos where the Great King Aslan gave the statement about the return of his firstborn and that he would be next in line to be crowned King.

Everyone talked about it by guessing how the reunion of the royal family was in the Kingdom of Abydos. But the only person who had the good fortune to know about that was Musa. Riven explained to his friends and the Winx how things went, however he summed it up and saved many details that the musical fairy had mentioned.

Brandon had informed her that Red Fountain was surrounded by journalists from different planets who came to try to interview and photograph the Prince of Abydos for newspapers: That was one of the reasons why Musa and Riven could not see each other the following days.

The emotion that Musa felt when she and Riven were well together again was inexplicable. While both professed that they still loved each other and shared several kisses at Roccaluce Lake two nights ago, the two agreed that they would take things slowly and calmly. They did not have an official title for their relationship but they were together.

The Winx and Twinkly spent the next few days finding out some clue that will help them know where to start looking for the person responsible for the threats or something to help them fight the mysterious enemy. So far the only thing that could help them is to go to the planet Lumenia to speak personally with Queen Dorona to know how the situation was going around.

The next day they would leave with the participation and help of the Specialists in this mission.

Musa still had dreams where Valtor reappeared to say the same phrase over and over again. The first time she let it pass, the second one too, but with the third time she was beginning to be afraid of what his irruptions in her dreams might mean. Why did she only dream of him? Bloom seemed fine from what she could see with nothing to disturb her and she was the one who used to have a strong connection with Valtor in the past. She thought about telling Tecna or Layla, although she gave up on seeing that both together with the others were carrying out their own investigations and that had them without sleeping too much. She even thought about telling Riven about it, but he was dealing with the press that imprisoned Red Fountain because of the recent news of his identity. Neither he nor they wanted to suffocate or worry them for something that perhaps was nothing more than dreams that turned into nightmares.

"We don't even begin with the mission that I want to finish it." She heard Layla say while she was doing sit-ups on the floor of the room.

They had planned to have a girls night that same night to clear their minds. Stella and Bloom went to buy fast food for dinner while Flora and Tecna were in charge of ordering the last details of the objects that would lead to the trip. Musa was sitting next to the Andros princess with her notebook in her hands and a pen over her ear.

"After this we need serious and long vacations away from trouble," the blue-haired murmured.

"Did you ever imagine we would go so far?" Flora's voice made a presence from where she stood. "I mean that my self from eight years ago would never have imagined that we would now be considered an icon of heroines or someone admirable by so many people..."

"Since we stepped on Alfea we have been at the center of thousands of problems," Tecna continued. "We came thinking only of approving the courses to be able to reach the last level to be guardian fairies of our planets and we ended up being a group of fairies that are in charge of saving the world every two by three. You never thought of simply... quitting and starting to have a normal life?"

Layla was halfway through the exercise while Flora stopped watering her plant. Tecna's question was etched in each one's mind: _Did it ever occur to you to leave it?_ Of course, more than they could count on their fingers. Duty always called and although it sounded selfish, the Winx knew that it must end at some point and each one had to start living their life separately.

"Recently, yes," Musa replied, almost ashamed. Her friends looked at her, prompting her to give her argument. "I think we have all thought about it in recent years. But, personally, with my father's health I have been thinking of 'giving up', to be by his side... His health has been good lately but you know what fate is like sometimes... If something happened to him as happened with my mother and I did not enjoy valuable time with him… I would never forgive myself," murmured crestfallen. "On the other hand it makes me feel guilty to think about abandoning you, leaving you with all the work..."

"You must not feel that way, sweetheart," interrupted the fairy of nature maternally. "It's understandable that you think that way. I have also thought about it; I miss my parents too much, the letters are not enough for me, and I have also felt that I am missing much of Miele's life..."

"Don't get me wrong," the technology fairy began, "I would never refuse if they needed us urgently. I mean, after all we are the Winx. But it doesn't seem fair that we are the only ones fighting against evil. We deserve to have a normal life too."

"I agree with Tecna," Layla said. "Each of us has goals for the future. And maybe it sounds bad but I don't want to spend my whole life fighting evil without knowing if I will be alive and unharmed."

Silence invaded the environment. Musa began to play with the pen that rested on her ear, meditating on the subject in silence.

It was good to know that she was not the only one who thought about leaving the group for a while to return to Melody with her father. Basically the girls had already learned everything that a fairy should know and they had managed to win the highest level of fairies much earlier than the others in their third year and they were still in Alfea to be close in case an important mission was presented —in addition to witnessing some classes to refresh the memory or advise some fairies on the subjects—. Each had offered their person for eight years to defend the universe from the evils that surrounded her. They really deserved a break.

"We should talk to Bloom and Stella later," Musa muttered after a long silence. She closed her songbook and rose from the floor, adjusting her fine nightgown in the form of a dress. "Stella may agree with us, since she must be crowned at some point as Queen of Solaria... but I'm more worried about what Bloom thinks..."

"She'll have to understand," said the brunette from the floor. "She must do it. As much as Bloom is the leader, I still don't remember voting for that, she can't force us to continue with this. I propose that we talk about this issue when we finish with this mission: When we are sure that everything is definitely over. Agree?" All nodded to the princess. Layla turned to the blue-haired, who was about to lock herself in her room. "Musa, is there anything you would like to share with us?"

The fairy stayed frozen in its place. What did her friend specifically mean? Could it be that they realized the lack of rest she had for her constant nightmares in which Valtor was the protagonist?

"Layla is right," said Flora snuggling on the couch. "You gave us a very short version of your departure with Riven the other night."

_Oh, that's what they meant..._ she thought relieved. It was true that when she returned from her encounter with Riven, she was not surprised to see all her friends awake and waiting for her. Stella sure was in charge of lifting them. Nor could she lie telling them that nothing had happened between him and her for the emotion painted on her face gave her away. Musa was responsible for explaining the evening in great detail, obviously omitting the information Riven had entrusted to her.

"We just talk and share a couple of kisses. Nothing more." she replied. She didn't know why her friends thought she was hiding something more from what happened that night. Basically that was the only thing that happened. "We have spoken for calls since then. You know, he literally can't leave Red Fountain for the press."

"That's the life of celebrities, my dear." Stella's voice was heard as she entered the door. Behind her was Bloom with a large bag. "Even more with news like that: 'Riven Hawthorne, the Heir to the Royal Crown of Abydos," she announced, showing the cover of a famous Magix gossip magazine. Musa stared at the photograph of her boy which no doubt that image was taken a few days ago by the structure of Red Fountain in the background. He looked handsome despite the moody countenance he had. "'After more than twenty-five years of the historic _Battle of Abydos_, which began when the Kingdom witnessed the fateful disappearance of the firstborn of _Great King Aslan_ and the _Benevolent Queen Geraldine_, the royal family of _Abydos_ gave a shocking statement: The legitimate heir of The Royal Crown is back! _Riven Hawthorne_, who until a few years ago was only a student in the prestigious school for Specialists, _Red Fountaine_, was recognized by the entire magical dimension as the official Prince of Abydos...'. Blah blah blah, quote my uncle's words in Parliament... Oh, here they mention you, Musa! '…Not only is he known to be a close friend of _Prince Sky Wallace of Eraklyon_ but he also had a romantic relationship with the famed _Musa Wang_, a prime member of the acclaimed _Winx Club_. The relationship between the Prince and Melody's guardian fairy lasted about three years, unfortunately the love did not persist for a long time, since today each one followed their own path separately…'. What!? That's it!? Aren't they going to inquire about your relationship? What lousy journalists they are! I'm outraged!" she threw the magazine down the floor.

"It's a gossip magazine. What did you expect?" Asked Tecna, helping Bloom put things for dinner.

"As you said: Go-ssip ma-ga-zine. They must find out more about Musa and Riven's relationship. Mention things that perhaps they didn't even know. I don't know, a lie, or interviewed me to give more information to the cause."

"I prefer it that way with that minimal information of mine, thank you very much," Musa murmured, somewhat amused at Stella's irritation.

"The funny thing is that they talk about their relationship as if it were from the past because as far as we know Riven and you have been back together," she sang, approaching the blue-haired. "And you can't deny it to me. Brandon has told me. Riven said that you two are together again when Brandon asked him."

"Did he really say that?" They all looked at the musical fairy with love. They noticed how the words came out in a tone of surprise combined with the yearning of her mouth, almost unable to believe it while her eyes shone with an unrecognizable feeling. "Eh... I mean..."

"You two are really sweet," Bloom said with a smile. "Sky has told me that Riven has been very happy in recent days even though the press is harassing him."

"It will be because he got a large dose of Musa, literally," Layla joked, referring to the kissing session that Riven and Musa shared, laughing at the sight of how her friend quickly blushed furiously.

Flora approached her friend to give her a sweet hug of comfort to see her so ashamed.

"Leave her alone, Lay."

The table was filled with varieties of foods: Pizzas, hamburgers, pasta and salads. The Winx had the luxury of enjoying that night gossiping about various topics as the teenagers did. None touched on the theme of the mission the next day, much less tried to mention it. Kiko, Bloom's bunny, and Twinkly were already resting in the fairy room. They wanted to enjoy the warmth that radiated that night. And they were extremely happy to have a quiet night all together.

For that same reason, Musa did not have the courage to reveal the theme of Valtor's apparitions in her dreams.

* * *

It was nice to dream again with her late mother. Musa knew well that it was a dream and it filled her with such joy that she will present herself again. Many years ago she was able to dream of her mother again.

She recognized the characteristic forest that Melody possessed: One of the places he used to travel with her parents on spring afternoons. The forest had been the place where her parents used to make frequent appointments when they barely met, since both had the desire to be in touch with nature than to be in the city.

Her mother, as beautiful as she remembered her, wore an orange kimono with golden details on the edges. Her short jet hair was decorated by Chinese chopsticks, leaving tufts falling down her sides framing her thin face. Matlin Wang watched her sweetly with her striking gray eyes from her position.

"Hello, my little girl."

Her voice was as soft as velvet, impregnated with affection and sweetness. Musa was extremely attracted to her harmonious voice, like a newborn baby when they first heard their mother's voice.

"Mom," she said happily. "I'm happy to see you again…"

"I know, my dear. You don't know how happy I am to see you too." She smiled. Slowly she opened her arms prompting her to approach. "Come here."

They say that a hug is a love poem written on the skin that breaks all fears and isolates all regrets. It may seem like a small gesture but in any case it has great healing power on an emotional level. In some way or another, it relieves the soul.

Musa took refuge in the arms of her mother with a lump stuck in her throat because she had to receive these signs of affection from her only in dreams. Her hug was warm and made her feel at home again while she heard her humming a song softly.

The fairy really hate how unfair fate was. She hated how her mother's life had been taken as quickly and unfairly as if nothing. She was so beautiful, humble, talented... She still had a lifetime to live with her husband and daughter: She must have been there when Musa began to manifest musical interests or when she began to show her skills as a fairy. Or all her time in pre-adolescence, or when she became a woman or her crisis or when a family of beans grew on her forehead. She must also have been there when she received her letter of entry to Alfea, or to help her when Musa battled for months for her father to let her go to school for fairies. She must have been there to accompany Musa on her way to puberty, her hormonal changes. To see and hear how Musa told her about her first love interest, and be there to pick up the pieces when she had her first broken heart...

Musa needed his mother figure all these years. She really needed her mom.

"Why are you crying, honey?" Asked Matlin's soft voice. Musa slowly shook her head on her mother's chest, feeling her tears slowly fall down her cheeks. "I don't want you to cry, my love. You will make me cry too."

"For nothing. Just…" She leaned back to contemplate her better, "It just I've really missed you. So much."

Matlin carefully cleaned the tears that still slipped from her daughter's face. Without a doubt her offspring had grown and became a beautiful woman, so talented and kind. The person she loved the most was in front of her, reminding her again and again how lucky she and Hoboe were when they heard about her unexpected arrival. **Musa** was her great dream, her greatest achievement and the best gift that life could give her.

"You are beautiful, Musa. You have become a woman."

"Thank you. You're still as beautiful as I remember you, mom."

"The years don't take their toll on me," she explained with a small smile. "We have many things to talk about." Musa smiled happily at her words. The times she wanted to talk to her mother again were millions and the opportunities completely void.

Matlin led her along a path full of various trees and flowers. Musa watched fascinated the memory of that significant forest. They both reached a log where they sat under the bright sun that illuminated the place. It vaguely reminded Musa of the Alfea Natural Park for Fairy Animals, they had several similarities.

"Do you remember this place?" Her mother asked softly. "We used to always come here."

"We camped here and made picnics," she muttered, breathing deeply. The smell of wet earth floated in the air. "I remember it well. There wasn't a Friday we didn't come to this place." She closed her eyes. "On the one hand I love having those fresh memories in my memory but at the same time they fill me with such anguish… I would like to have the ability to always remember you with a smile, however it is so difficult to get away from sadness."

"Losing someone is a wound that never heals, honey. You learn to live with the pain of their departure but the memory will always live in your mind and in your heart," Matlin said, taking her daughter's hand in her and stroking her knuckles. "My intention was not to cause you more sadness. I want us to take advantage of the time we have here to talk. I've seen your tour all these years, but I'd like to hear you telling me all your adventures."

The following minutes were about Musa telling her from her entrance to Alfea until the current day. Matlin listened attentively to the words that came out of her daughter's mouth, releasing the occasional comment or exclamation when she heard the crossings and pranks in which her little girl was involved.

As she had said, she was able to see her daughter all this time even if she was not physically, but still wanted to see and witness the facial emotions that Musa adapted for each story. Musa tell her about her studies, about her powers and transformations as a fairy, about her friends Winx and her best friend Brandon and her new friend Cleo Swan, about her battles against the forces of evil, about how she saved the Melody Singing Whales using a song, her time as a teacher in Alfea, how she opened a musical café, and how her relationship with her father had improved since he realized the potential that his daughter had to be a singer.

Until the most awaited topic arrived by Matlin: The first love of her daughter. It caused her tenderness to see her daughter's flushed face when she mentioned her first love and her first boyfriend, Riven Hawthorne. Of course she knew who he was, since she was seen coming as soon as her daughter told her when she went to visit the cemetery. She also witnessed each pass they gave as a couple. Matlin was initially unsure about the boy whose her daughter was in love, thinking that perhaps the spark between them was not strong enough to be considered true love. But all doubt vanished when she learned how the young specialist had risked his own life to save her little girl from the dark phoenix. From then on, she began to think of Riven as her official son-in-law.

"We discussed too much time, besides we distanced ourselves remarkably," Musa reached the almost final part of her relationship with Riven. Remembering it caused her a little discomfort but then she recomposed herself knowing that they were now together again. "He had other things in mind, and so did I. Love was still there but tolerance was gone. I did not blame him when my voice was stolen and he was not there to give me support to cope with it, although I will not deny that if I get a little disappointed: I think at that moment I realized that something had changed for the worse between us. After I regained my voice, Riven told me that he must go his own way to find himself. I let him go, why wouldn't I? I could not force him to be with me if he felt that the relationship was no more. The first months were horrible, it was not easy to get used to a person, with whom you shared a million moments, was no longer there. With the passing of time also filled me with resentment towards him, he had promised me that he would keep me abreast of his life but failed to fulfill his promise," There was a moment of pause. "Riven is back, mom. And with his arrival also returned the feelings that I thought I had suppressed by him. It was a whirlwind of emotions, you know: Love, pain, fury and happiness."

"Knowing you, my daughter, you didn't react in a civilized way."

"Mom!" She complained laughing loudly, "but you're right, I didn't act in the best way. I tried to get him away from me every time he tried to approach. I acted immaturely, perhaps because of my fear of what would happen next with our relationship. Luckily I reconsidered and let him explain me everything. It turns out that he is Prince of Abydos, and he met his family at the time he left Magix."

"Son of Geraldine Bernoulli," Matlin murmured. "She was my friend and roommate when I studied in Alfea," she added when she saw her daughter's face full of confusion. "When I first arrived, I saw that I was paired with the Princess of the planet _Genovia_. I was installing when she arrived and the truth was waiting for me to be a very spoiled girl with prejudices, but it was the opposite. Geraldine was very humble, and it didn't take us long to become friends. The last time I saw her was when I gave one of my opera concerts in Genovia, which was Geraldine's last night on her home planet as she was about to marry the Prince of Abydos, and unfortunately we lost contact. I knew she got married and had a child, and that some time later there was a confrontation in her Kingdom and her baby disappeared."

"Wow..." The fairy never thought it would be possible for her mother and Riven's mother to meet, much less that her mother was gone now, and now it turns out they were friends in the past, "it's nice to know."

"You say Riven is her son?"

"Yes, it is confirmed. Riven spent his entire life believing that his parents abandoned him. You don't know how happy makes me know that he knows that it really isn't, and that he has a large family to count on."

"And I'm glad to hear that your path and his have met again," Matlin muttered. "You know? It reminds me of a well-known legend, which I had planned to tell you when you entered adolescence, but for obvious reasons I did not have the opportunity to do so," she muttered with a sad smile. Musa imitated her. "Legend has it that people destined to meet each other are connected by an _invisible red thread_," she said. Musa looked at her, prompting her to keep talking. "This thread never disappears and remains constantly tied to your fingers, despite time and distance. It doesn't matter what it takes to get to know that person, nor does it matter how much time you spend without seeing it, it doesn't even matter if you live on the other side of the world: The thread will stretch to infinity but it will never break. Its owner is destiny. This invisible thread has been with you since your birth and will accompany you, tense to a greater or lesser extent, more or less tangled, throughout your whole life. The legend is very popular in Melody, and it says:

"_**A long time ago, an emperor learned that in one of the provinces of his kingdom there lived a very powerful witch, who had the ability to see the red thread of destiny and had it brought before her presence. When the witch arrived, the emperor ordered him to look for the other end of the thread that was tied to the pinky and take him to what would be his wife. The witch agreed to this request and began to follow and follow the thread. This search led them to a market, where a poor farmer with a baby in her arms offered her products. When she got to where this peasant was, she stopped in front of her and invited her to stand up. She made the young emperor approach and said: "Here your thread ends", but upon hearing this the emperor became enraged, believing it was a mockery of the witch. He pushed the peasant who still had her little baby in her arms and made her fall, causing the baby to have a large wound on her forehead. Then, he ordered his guards to stop the witch and cut off her head.**_

_**Many years later, the time came for this emperor to marry and his court recommended that it was best to marry the daughter of a very powerful general. He accepted and the day of the wedding arrived. And when he first saw the face of his wife, who entered the temple with a beautiful dress and a veil that completely covered her... When she lifted it, she saw that beautiful face had a very peculiar scar on her forehead. "**_

A couple of times she had heard Melody's inhabitants talk about that subject. Musa had a tendency to listen to the conversations of others because of her fragile audition, which on her planet every time she heard the mention of that story did not avoid being curious about the affable legend. Her father did not know what to say when she asked him, since Hoboe had no idea that there was a legend of a red thread that united people who were destined to be together.

"Did you believe in the legend?" she wanted to know.

"Of course. When we tell you the story of your father and mine, we obviously save details that a six-year-old girl should not know, and we leave you with the shortest and most innocent version," Matlin replied, "but it was not easy. We had our comings and goings, even in a moment we parted. We met new people, we started new relationships. But we knew how to correct our problems and our paths met again. We got back together, we got married and we had you. Our thread was tangled countless times, but it never broke. I loved your father too much, Musa, and I still do."

"He still loves you, mom." The young woman sighed when she remembered her father, who was not in good health lately. "You know he hasn't been very well, right?"

"Yes. I can see everything from here. You must understand, honey, that these things usually happen. Your father is already a big person and it is normal that at this age he begins to manifest health problems."

"But it is a disease that can lead him to death at any time," she interrupted sharply. "It may be fine for now, but a single carelessness would be enough for him to relapse... and besides the treatment is too expensive that I run out of ideas to continue raising money... Without Cleo's help I don't know what I would do, I don't... I couldn't bear to lose him, not after losing you..."

Musa stop talking knowing that if she continued to vent she would unleash endless tears. It seemed that she could not keep calm and enjoy the moment knowing that, despite being there with her, at any minute she would wake up and reality would hit her that her mother was still dead. It was a bittersweet feeling, and Musa didn't think she could stand it.

"And you won't lose him. Your father is the most stubborn person the world knows, who has no plans to leave you. I will not allow it," the woman said firmly. "He has to be there for when Riven asks for his blessing to propose you marriage, to take you to the altar and be present for when you give him the news that he will be a grandfather."

"Why do you assume that I will share my whole life with Riven?" She exclaimed, although an answer came to mind quickly. "By the legend of the red thread..."

"And maternal intuition," she added amusedly. "It could be said that I have a small gift that lets me see fragments of people's lives. You should start believing in what was said in the legend... After all: All the legends are true."

Musa was not going to contradict her. For her mother's words were sacred.

"I thought about telling Dad about Riven's return and that, well, I decided to give him a chance," said the musical fairy, "he doesn't always like him. At first he didn't want to know anything related to him, but then he get used to. You should have seen him when I told him that Riven had broken up with me... I never saw him so furious, I guess it's because he got used to him like a son-in-law even though he didn't want to admit it, and because he knew I was happy with him. Now I fear that he will reject him again, I mean... I do not think he will let the one who 'has abandoned me' pass it by."

"Your father has to learn to trust and support your decisions. You are already a young adult, your life is handled by you and nobody else. Hoboe must accept Riven again if he is what truly makes you happy. When you see your father, say the phrase "Αγάπη σαν μουσική", he will know what I mean," she said. Musa repeated the words mentally until it was etched in her head. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?" She asked as his daughter quickly moved her right leg in a nervous tic.

"There is something I would like us to try before this is over and wake up returning to the harsh reality," the blue-haired replied after seconds in silence. Her mother looked at her curiously. "You know, we could sing something together... I've longed to do that again since you left."

"Of course, honey. It will be an honor for me," she replied, smiling again. "We can try the song that I taught you when you were little, that I wrote in dedication to your grandmother, remember? It's Ret..."

"Return to me," Musa completed. "Yes. It's the song that my heart always treasures. And it's the song I use to free the Singing Whales from their spell."

"Glad to hear that, honey."

"_Walking my childhood shore, I miss you so. **Mama **my music's yours,_" Musa began to sing, trying her best to make her tone perfect. Her mother watched her gently, delighting in the beautiful voice her daughter possessed. "_I cry 'till the water's blue, where whales still sing. Remember when we sang it too. As a tide goes in, goes out, I close my eyes and you…_"

"_Return to me,_" Matlin continued the tune. The musical fairy smiled when she heard her mother's powerful and melodic voice again. "_Return to me, on waves of ocean Melody..._"

"_No magic can make you reappear..._"

"_But in the song of the whales,_" they both sang in unison in a sublime and matchless combination. "_You are always here…_"

Mother and daughter continued with the song with all the feeling they had. Their voices were a simply perfect symphony; There was no better word to describe it. It was quite obvious where Musa inherited such a voice, Matlin was just as spectacular as her daughter: Of such a stick, such a splinter.

"You have a beautiful voice, sweetheart." Matlin pulled her into her arms, Musa hugged her tightly, suddenly feeling the reality hit her. "It is time to wake up."

"So... so soon?"

"Yes my dear. Time in the world of dreams has its own limit." She separated and when she saw her daughter's eyes again watery, Matlin kissed her forehead trying to convey all the love she had. "It won't be the last time we meet, my daughter. I promise that I will try to contact you in dreams more often."

"Thank you for everything, mom. I love you," Musa whispered.

"And I love you, my little girl. Never forget…"

* * *

Her first instinct was to open her eyes. In doing so she found the view of the ceiling of the room, as she watched the room illuminated by the sun's rays coming through the balcony. Despite feeling her tired eyelids, she was extremely mentally renewed, more than having had a beautiful reunion with her mother in dreams.

"Looks like you dreamed well," Tecna said when she saw her straighten up in bed. The technological fairy was putting a change of clothes in a bag. "I saw you smile several times, and I even heard you sing."

"It was a good dream," she admitted softly. "I was with my mom. I could talk to her, and sing too."

"Oh..." exclaimed the fairy without knowing what to say. The theme of the deceased mother of her best friend was uncomfortable for her because she didn't know much to say in those situations, and on the other hand she didn't want to imply that she was a person without feelings. "That's great, Musa. How do you feel now after that?"

"Fairly good. I had not dreamed of her for years, and it was comforting." She jumped out of bed, snapped her fingers, and in a second it was already perfectly laid out. "What time is it? What time will we depart?"

"Seven in the morning. Flora, Layla and Bloom are already up and ready. Stella just woke up a few minutes ago and you were missing, so I guess at eight we will be waiting for signals from the boys to come pick us up."

"Twinkly?"

"She's with Bloom seeing some details of the trip. Go change, if Timmy answers me in the next few minutes, it's because the departure time is ahead and…" _Fly to my heart's_ tone began to flood the room. Musa grabbed her cell phone, and smiles when she sees the image of the ID "and I suppose that for that giant smile it is about Riven."

"Yep," she said before accepting the call and bringing the device to her ear. "Hi, Riv," she murmured, watching Tecna give her a mischievous smile before leaving the room with her bag.

"_Hello beautiful,_" his hoarse voice was heard. Musa was grateful he couldn't see her, since her face quickly flushed at the nickname. "_I woke you up?_"

"No, a few minutes ago I woke up. And if I still didn't do it and you called, most likely I wouldn't have answered you."

"_Knowing you, yes._ _To be the fairy of music and have super audition, you are not light sleepers. Although my reason for calling, in addition to wanting to know how you woke up, is to let them know that we are already going to Alfea to pick them up._"

"What!?" she asked. Quickly and without releasing the phone, she began to look for a set of comfortable clothes for the mission. "I thought you would come a little later."

"_We think it would be better to start earlier so as not to return so late and without any inconvenience._"

"Good point... Auch!" She gasped when she hit a piece of furniture, hitting her calf hard for trying to climb jeans down her legs.

"_What was that?_"

"_I bet you ten dollars that Musa hasn't dressed yet and that she'll be hit with something in a hurry,_" another voice was heard through the horn. Musa rolled her eyes at that. "_Isn't that right, little eyes?_"

"Brandon, I'd appreciate it if you stopped getting into people's phone conversations, thanks. You already look like a bad imitation of Stella."

"_For something, she and I are for each other._"

"_Brandon, could you...?_"

She imagined Riven making a gesture to the chestnut inviting him to retire, and she could confirm it by listening to her friend's resigned groan.

"_Fine! I will leave tow alone._"

"_Clarify me why I'm still holding him?_"

"Maybe because, even if you deny it, you consider him a great friend, and for that reason you revealed your secret to him first. Besides, he's my best friend." She smiled when she heard him growl. "I think those are good arguments. But I must confess that Brandon is right. I'm half dressed, I was confident they would come later," she murmured, buckling her pants. She snapped her fingers and immediately platform boots molded her feet.

"_You mean you're talking to me while you're in my underwear?_" The fairy stayed in the middle of buckling her bra when she noticed the tone Riven had used was full of mischief. "_I am pleased to know that, I really am._"

"Riven! The boys can hear you!"

"_I don't hear them complaining._"

"You are amazing."

"_I know. In five minutes we landed in Alfea._"

The call ended.

Musa hurried to grab the bag she had prepared the night before for the trip.

On her way to the living room he found all her friends enlisting. She saw Twinkly resting on the shoulder of the Princess of Solaria and was surprised to see a fairy with peculiar fuchsia hair. Roxy, the fairy she and her friends had to rescue on Earth, was there too. The little fairy wore her hair tied in a high ponytail and her pajamas on, with a smile adorning her lips, almost not caring that she could see the dark circles because of the tiredness she felt.

"At last you appear," Stella bellowed after releasing a yawn.

"Good morning," said Musa, approaching briskly. "Hi Roxy! What brings you here?" She asked cheerfully.

"I come to wish you luck. I crossed over to Faragonda yesterday at dinner and told me about the situation," Roxy replied. "I hope you can get something from Queen Dorona to help you with the problem." She turned to look at little Lumen, who was looking carefully at the hair that the animal fairy wore. "It was nice meeting you little girl. I hope to see you soon."

The Lumen nodded repeatedly forming a smile. Roxy gave the Winx one last look before leaving the apartment.

"It was nice that she came to greet us," Flora said once the six of them were alone. "She has been so busy with homework."

"I wouldn't like to be in her shoes." Layla used her powers to make sure Flora's plants would be well watered while they were absent. "Any news from the boys? Bloom? Tecna?"

"I talked to Sky but not precisely about the trip. I'm sorry."

"Timmy doesn't notice me yet."

"My intuition tells me that the boys arrived in..." Musa was interrupted to hear the sound of a ship approaching "... this very moment."

The girls left the apartment. They took their time down until they reached the entrance of Alfea, surprising to see a ship very different from what they used to see. This was not the same one the boys used to use the classic ship of Red Fountain: This time it was a gigantic bronze-colored ship with golden details. At first glance you could bet that it was incorporated with the latest technology because of the way it moved in the air and the way it landed on the ground.

Once it landed, the large doors opened revealing Brandon and Helia in the same space suits as the previous time.

"Good morning! I hope you all woke up well," the squire exclaimed, holding his girlfriend when she threw herself on top of him. "Although I see that some little people had problems with the comb today," he joked, watching Musa's hair. She grimaced at the words because it was true, since she had had little time to prepare, she left with all her hair disheveled. "You look good anyway. Riven likes you with any type of appearance no matter what your hair looks like a bird's nest."

_With friends like these, who needs enemies?_, the blue-haired thought. She glared at the chestnut and turned again, completely changing her countenance, giving Helia a smile.

She entered the ship being amazed by what she saw. On the outside it was a combination of gold and bronze and on the inside the silver tones predominated with border strips. On the walls hung piles of weapons of different shapes and different uses, some smaller and some larger. Control panels with touch screens, incorporated with the latest technology, were on the sides.

Musa bet Tecna would fall on her back when she saw all that.

Musa saw Sky, Timmy and Nex sitting in comfortable swivel chairs and running their fingers through the panels quickly. But what most attracted her attention was a chair in front of everyone, where Riven was. The specialist imitated the rest of his friends without noticing those present inside the ship. She could see a hologram in front of him that showed the image of a man's face: At first glance it was noted that it was a King because of the great crown he wore on his head while posing in profile. It seemed to be a biography because of the words that emerged under the image, or perhaps it was a journalistic note.

Riven turned to feel someone's gaze on him. Noticing that it was Musa, he smiled slightly before closing the hologram and getting out of the seat. He walked to her and stopped in front of the fairy with beautiful blue eyes.

"Hi," he whispered, giving her a long kiss on the lips. He heard Musa let out a gasp of surprise but she still didn't move away or break contact. "Uh... What happened to your hair?" He asked with a frown as he walked away and saw the bluish mane very disheveled.

Musa let out a groan between her teeth. Now she regretted not having combed it.

"Bad calculations. I did not have time. I look fabulous anyway," she said quickly, hitting herself mentally when she felt the heat on her cheeks. "Because I don't look bad, right?" She wanted to know.

"You look good."

She was grateful that, despite going from being a normal boy to being a prince, Riven still maintained that essence that made him the same: In Riven. She did not expect typical cloying flattery —she was most likely to hit him if he even tried— with a simple compliment on his part she was happy. Riven always says that kind of comments with that seductive touch that characterized him and she adored.

"I don't think your mirror agreed with that," Stella said to the side of the two, appearing out of nowhere. Riven rolled his eyes when he saw her. "Hi Riven. Or should I say... _Cousin Riven_. I can't believe we are paired. Did you know that your parents are my birthparents? In theory, we are family! Don't you think it's great?"

"No."

"I like Cedric more: He's much nicer than you," the fairy sun and moon grumbled, obviously offended, before leaving for Brandon. "Oh, and Musa, you thank me later!" She snapped her fingers and the musical fairy felt a jumble in her hair.

"What she made!? Don't tell me she've made the blonde wicks again..."

"No, she only made you a hairstyle. Now you look more presentable."

Musa ignored the fact that he contradicted himself about her appearance and formed a pout on her lips.

"Just kidding. You know you always look beautiful no matter how disastrous you think you see yourself," said the Prince of Abydos softly. And for him there were no girls more beautiful and hot than the music fairy. "Change that countenance, come on!" He ran his thumb down the corner of her lip, causing Musa to tickle, making her let out a silent laugh. "What do you think of the new ship?"

She turned on her axis admiring again the interior of the ship. There was a small door that should be the bathroom, and smaller chairs almost in the center for passengers.

"I like it. It's very modern," said the blue-haired. Riven smiled when he saw his girl's eyes shine.

"Where did they get this ship?" Asked Layla curiously.

"It was a gift from Riven's father," Timmy said cheerfully, turning to see them. Tecna approached him giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "They are last generation ships that are being manufactured in Abydos."

"The King of Abydos has given it to us especially for this mission," Brandon said, sitting in a chair and starting to spin. "Very generous of his part. Although Riven did not at first want us to accept it. But as you have seen, we have ignored him," he added, smiling amused to see how Riven rolled his eyes.

"You must have seen how we received it. It fell from the sky, literally, and with a bun. That helped quite drive the press away," Nex said, winking at his girlfriend. "Sky, are the coordinates ready?"

"Affirmative. Girls, sit back and get comfortable," the specialist said before turning around. "Bloom, can I talk to you in private?"

The Prince of Eraklyon and the Princess of Domino moved away to a corner to have more privacy. The others settled into their positions, Musa had to do so reluctantly for having to separate from Riven as he would be the captain who would handle the trip from the central command. Although her frown was replaced by a slight smile after Riven gave her a couple of kisses on the lips to change her bad mood.

Musa sat in the middle of Flora and Layla. She knew that the trip would last a long time so she decided to rest her head on the shoulder of the Princess of Andros to rest a little more. Layla asked her something, that Musa didn't pay attention to what he meant, but still nodded.

A few minutes later, the musical fairy fell asleep, not realizing that the ship was taking another course.

* * *

**REFERENCES****:**

**(1)**This scene is relevant for later.

**(2)**Writing this scene was very sad. Musa is the most lost character in the series —in addition to Layla who lost her boyfriend Nabu—. If I remember correctly, the last time Musa was able to "see again" her mother was in the third season.

**(3)**Refers to the nickname Brandon gives Musa in "Playlist."


	6. THE EUTERPE FESTIVAL

**5**

**THE EUTERPE FESTIVAL**

The feeling of a wave of vibrations began to travel through each cell of the body of the music fairy. Even being between the limbo of consciousness and unconsciousness, she murmured a few words to let her rest in peace but then she realized that the shivers that her body produced were not due to someone bothering her.

Normally, that only happened when she was close to her home planet, Melody. She opened her eyes slowly, taking time to get used to the blinding lights inside the ship. She was in a fetal position in the seat, Flora being her only companion. The others had disappeared from the place.

The fairy of nature smiled at her when she saw her awake.

"It's good that you woke up," she said, "because we've arrived."

"So soon?" Musa asked rubbing her eyes. "I found the trip very fast. Like a blink."

Flora shrugged.

Suddenly a well-known sound infiltrated Musa's ears. The familiarity of that so serene sound filled her with an inner peace she had not felt for a long time, almost overwhelming her.

"Wait... Are we where I think we are?" She asked Flora. The big smile of nature's fairy was her only answer. "How…? Why?"

"A few days ago, Bloom told us about your desire to see your father before starting the mission. We thought it would be a nice gesture on our part to bring you by surprise. We contacted Cleo the day before yesterday to discuss the plan and she more than happily accepted. I called her yesterday morning and we arranged to stay here for a day before leaving early tomorrow," Flora said with her usual calm. "Although we can't take all the credit. The boys knew it too. Riven was responsible for taking a closer route to get there. We landed less than thirty minutes ago, so we wait for you to wake up on your own."

The brunette didn't have time to do anything else when she saw Musa pounce on her and be caught in the arms of her blue-haired friend. Flora repeatedly heard the thanks that the musical fairy murmured with contained emotion.

Seeing her friends with smiles is what the brunette always asked for, because those girls she considered as friends had become such indispensable people in her life that she couldn't imagine a life without them. Flora was always the one who watched over the happiness and safety of her friends, causing the girls to classify her as the "mother" of the group. It was fun to see how sometimes Flora took the role very seriously and scolded Stella or Layla for arguing, or when she strictly ordered Musa to clean her room, or when she acted as a personal nurse for Bloom and Tecna when these two grabbed chickenpox.

"Come, let's go outside," Florra proposed as soon as Musa undid the hug. "Everyone is outside taking pictures of the landscape. Take it as a day off. It will be good for all of us."

"This is spectacular! Just today is the festival of Euterpe **(1)**, where we venerate the muse of music. I had forgotten! For that reason I felt a vibration run through my body when I was waking up!" She exclaimed genuinely. "Come on!"

Both girls headed off the ship. Flora gaped at the beautiful landscape of Melody, hearing the different sounds and rhythms coming from different directions. Musa was glad to see the expression that her friend got when she saw her planet —she didn't want to show off but her home was one of the most beautiful and picturesque in the universe—. Melody remained as beautiful and harmonious as ever.

In the distance they saw a large group near the bay. Musa could see Stella pose every two seconds in different ways in front of the crystalline sea next to Twinkly while Brandon fulfilled the role of photographer and also Bloom with Layla and Nex taking pictures of each tiny thing. Timmy and Tecna walked hand in hand near the group as she pointed out the different aquatic animals that were seen under the sea. A few meters away were Sky, Helia and Riven carrying each other's backpacks in their arms and hands.

Musa didn't hesitate to run to where Riven was. No matter what he carried with many backpacks, she threw herself on him, throwing him in the sand. He let out a groan, and before he could ask what the hell was going on, Musa's lips caught his in a delirious kiss. The lips of the fairy always received softly those of Riven filling him with pure bliss and sometimes he could swear to have seen fireworks every time they kissed. Riven reciprocated the kiss with desire and stroked the girl's cheek gently.

"Hey, I'm still here," Sky groaned, once Helia had gone to meet Flora.

"Shut up," Riven said a few inches from Musa's mouth. She laughed before leaving a spike on the lips. "Why was that? Not that I'm complaining..."

"Thank you," the fairy mumbled with a giant smile. "For bringing us here. I know the girls planned it and that you also collaborated, so thanks. You too, Sky." She smiled at the prince of Eraklyon, who returned the gesture.

"There is no reason to thank. We did this because we love you so much and we know how important it is for you." He extended her hand that she quickly accepted, helping her to stand up. "In addition I always wanted to visit Melody, unfortunately I never had the opportunity until now."

"How could you make this happen? Melody now maintains strict security after what happened to the Singing Whales when they were under the control of the Trix and Trittanus; No one could pass unless they have sung the anthem of the nation of Melody..."

"I talked to Princess Galatea before traveling," Riven replied, to her surprise. "I told her about our stay for a day and she offered to give us an exclusive pass without singing or something like that. Probably without her help we would still be trying to enter."

"But the good thing is that we're here," Sky concluded.

"You're right. My house is not far from here. We will walk and have one of us guide the ship, unless you want to leave it here. It will be ok. Melody is very safe and quiet."

"The ship does not open the floodgates unless it is with my fingerprint or that of the boys," Riven informed, hugging her by the waist, "any idiot who tries to steal it will fail in the attempt."

"Not even with magic?"

"Not even with magic," he said.

"I must admit that I am jealous," Sky murmurs, looking wistfully at the ship that lay a few feet away from him. "It really is a beauty." Riven smiles with a touch of malice at hearing him say that.

"Do you want me to give you a discount? I leave it to you in twelve installments of $ 30,000."

"Riven," Musa scolded, nudging him. "We'd better start walking before you two start creating a ridiculous and unnecessary children's fight."

"It is so beautiful!" Said Bloom, approaching them. She held in her hands a camera that printed the photos instantly. "The landscape is beautiful. Seeing it makes me want to make a sketch right now."

"As I read, Melody celebrates a festival every 7 of each month in honor of the number of musical notes. Today is April 7. Is there something scheduled for this day?" Tecna asked, hand in hand with Timmy, who saw his phone. The others slowly approached where they were.

"You are right. Today the 'Festival of Euterpe' is celebrated."

"Eu… what?" Repeated the Princess of Solaria failed. "I will add that name to my list of 'I will not even name my future children'."

"Euterpe was one of the nine muses of Olympus," Musa replied with amusement. "She was the muse of music. That's why we adore her so much here in Melody and set this date especially for her. I suppose the festival will be held at sunset in the central square." Sh sigh long. "I remember it used to be my mother's favorite holiday…" She mutter the last with her head down. Riven placed both hands on her shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze and placing a kiss on the back of her neck. "Thanks for doing this for me, guys. I really appreciate it."

"Anything to see you happy," said Layla, smiling. "What do you think if we go?"

"Let's go!"

All the Melody architecture predominated in a Japanese style. One of the characteristics that Melody had was art its eclecticism **(2)**. The sculptures and their techniques were derived from the Buddhist and Shinto traditions, made of wood, gilded or painted in bright colors which is the most common type of sculpture material —words spoken by Tecna—. Melody enjoyed cherry trees, larch trees, spruce trees and many other varieties of fir trees —they had to drag away Flora who had been fascinated by a cherry tree—.

Finally they reached an area near the Singing Pier where a house was located: It was two-story and very picturesque with a roof that is made of musical notes and with a wonderful tropical garden that surrounds it. Stella and Layla were the first to recognize Musa's house, specifically recalling that point where they embarked and where Tritannus had turned her friend into a sea monster.

"Here it is," Musa said to his friends, stopping in front of her house. "I… I don't know why I feel so nervous," she lied. The excitement of seeing her father was immense but she forgot the fact that she didn't say anything to her dad about Riven's return, much less that she had returned with him.

"Did you argue with your father or something?" Brandon asked eloquently.

"Eh… no."

"So what is the problem?" Asked Helia confused.

"Well..." The musical fairy gave a suggestive look to Riven, who frowned without understanding what she meant.

Stella was the first to guess the situation.

"Oh I get it already! You didn't say anything to your father that you came back with Riven and he's going to go crazy when he knows!"

Riven paled quickly at what she said. He looked at Musa, asking with his eyes if what Stella said was true. For Riven, Musa had always been an open book: Easy to read and understand, although perhaps he never knew how to prove it. The indifference shown by the fairy's face gave him an immediate response: Riven was in serious trouble.

"Are you serious?" He groaned.

"What did you think? What could you come for and that everything with my father would be fine?" She muttered harshly. "I am sorry that this has come out of your plans but I don't think my dad jumps happily on one leg when he sees you, since it was you who 'broke his daughter's heart' when you left."

"Booyah!" Exclaimed Nex laughing. A withering look from Layla was what stopped him from releasing another comment.

"I thought I passed your father's test years ago when I helped him at the Red Fountain concert."

"Well, that is already forgotten. Now, I will knock on the door, we will refrain from the consequences and be whatever God wants." End up saying the blue-haired firmly.

"Musa..." he began to apologize but she turned and hurried away.

Riven closed his eyes and let out a resigned sigh, feeling Timmy's hand on his shoulder in comfort. The prince of Abydos sent a bad look at Brandon, Nex and Sky, who laughed silently, before following his girl to the square.

Musa quickly climbed the small staircase of the porch and knocked on the door repeatedly. She heard the hurried steps coming from the other side and saw the door open abruptly, revealing the silhouette of a girl.

"I can't believe you're here!"

Cleo Swan was a young twenty-five year old fairy. Being her mother from Linphea, she inherited her powers as a healing fairy but they lived in Melody because her father was from there. Cleo stood out for her jet black hair which now reached over her shoulders, and for her large brown eyes. She dedicated herself to study medicine in Linphea and only when she graduated from the nursing career, she returned home.

"Hi Cleo," Musa muttered happily, letting herself be wrapped in her friend's effusive embrace. "I missed you too," As she said before, they didn't have much time to get to know each other thoroughly but Cleo had a spark that caused Musa to take care of her quickly, adding that the brunette was there taking care of her father without asking for anything in return. She also knew that Cleo had trouble socializing because she had gone through a stage of bullying in her old schools, so it could be said that Musa was the first true friend that nature's fairy had. "New look?" She asked, separating slightly, pointing to the now short hair of the fairy.

"Yes," the young nurse laughed. "I had to cut it. It was already growing horribly." Her brown eyes scanned her blue-haired friend before she threw herself on top of her again and caught her in another hug. "I really missed you," she said again before moving away completely. "Well… that has been awkward," the brunette murmured after watching the scene she was riding, somewhat restless at the irritating look that the purple-haired girl was giving her. "I am Cleo, healing fairy and personal nurse of Musa's father. It is a pleasure to meet you guys, and also an honor to you, Your Highnesses." She made a kind of reverence when recognized five people belonging to royalty.

"You flatter me, my dear. It's an honor for me to meet you, finally, in person," Stella said enthusiastically. She approached the brunette and shook her hand repeatedly. "I am Stella Solace, Princess of Solaria and fairy of the sun and the moon. Although you already knew that. I like your haircut, and that suit is… it's… picturesque." She scanned without hiding the grimace of disgust when she saw the garment so simple and bordered with different colors that the fairy wore. "Who was it designed for?" Stella asked without seeing her boyfriend slap his forehead.

"Uhm... Was it designed by my mother?" Cleo replied in a hesitation. For both **(3)** had been done by her mother when she entered her second year of the race.

"Oh," the blonde whispered. Well, anyway... I introduce you to this little girl, she is a Lumen from Lumenia. Her name is Twinkly." The little star landed on the princess's shoulder and with her tiny hand she greeted. Cleo smiled in response. "And the handsome boy you see there with brown hair and green suit is my boyfriend, Brandon Lancaster," she said in a dreamy voice. Brandon, who was somewhat flushed, gave a smile to the brunette who was reciprocated.

"I am Bloom Peters."

"You are the Princess of Domino!"

"I'd rather be just Bloom," the redhead said shyly. "Fairy of the dragon flame. He's my boyfriend, Sky Wallace." She pointed to the blond in a blue suit. Cleo quickly recognized him as the prince of Eraklyon who as a teenager had a strong crush on him. Embarrassed she looked at Musa who watched her with amusement as she guessed what the brunette was thinking at that moment. Maybe Cleo shouldn't have told the musical fairy of the crush she used to have on Sky. "She is Layla Anderson, fairy of the waves and Princess of Andros."

"And he is my boyfriend, Nex Lexington," said the curly-haired brunette, Layla, pointing to the boy with sideburns and red suit. Nex just nodded.

"My name is Flora, Flora Donatti. And he's Helia Minette, my boyfriend," greeted the light green-eyed chestnut with a smile being hugged by the boy in the orange suit. Cleo felt a good vibe emanating from the girl. "From what Musa told me, you're from Linphea. I am also from there, and I am a fairy of nature too."

"Yes. My mother is from Linphea and is a fairy of nature too. I inherited the powers of nature but my power is more linked to healing, so I dedicated myself to the medical field and tried to do my best to help people," she commented quickly. "I'm sorry, I have even gone through the branches. I do not usually be very sociable and when I do I say any nonsense or nonsense." She laughed with red cheeks.

"Don't worry, C," Musa said, hugging her by the shoulders. "You don't have to worry or apologize, nobody here will judge you or anything," she added sweetly. She was happy to see her recent friend create ties with her group of friends.

"Musa is right. Here we are all in confidence." Cleo heard the boy with sand-colored hair and yellow duckling suit. "I'm Timmy Cleveland." He smiled adjusting his glasses. "And she's my girlfriend, Tecna Burton." She directed her gaze to the purple-haired girl, who was still staring at her suspiciously. Cleo smiled nervously, not expecting the gesture to be reciprocated.

"Are you done with the presentations?" The brunette looked at the direction where the voice came from. A boy in a purple suit and wildly magenta hair was found in a corner leaning against the wall, next to a calm look. Cleo did not take long to recognize him as Riven Hawthorne, the love of Musa's life and from what he saw and read in the news, the prince of Abydos. "I guess there's no need to introduce myself, right?" For a moment, Cleo thought he was asking her and she almost choked on her own saliva, but she relaxed when she saw how he turned in the direction of where Musa was.

"No, but it would be nice if you did. You know, by education." The blue-haired one replied, crossing her arms.

The young specialist let out a sigh.

"Riven." He hissed distractedly.

"Oh come on, Riven!" Don't tell me that meeting your father-in-law —or ex, depends on him when he sees you—, makes you dread?" Brandon didn't miss the opportunity to provoke the magenta-haired. He knew that Riven was extremely nervous about having to meet Musa's father after he literally broke up with the fairy. Brandon doubted that Hoboe Wang would give him a warm welcome. "I must admit that I am beginning to enjoy this trip."

"Shut up, Brandon!" Although his tone showed anger, his eyes shone with unease.

"Enough, both of you," Musa bellowed, pointing them as mother to her unruly children. "They are usually that childish," she told Cleo, hearing her best friend deny it and imagining the magenta-haired rolling his eyes. "And yes, he is Riven Hawthorne, my ex-boyfriend," she added, staring at him, watching his face change from anger to bewilderment, like all her other friends in general. "Where is my father?"

"In your room," Cleo replied sadly. "He is usually there most of the time. He really miss you."

The disclosure of such information caused Musa's eyes to quickly water. For a moment she felt the worst daughter in the universe for not spending time with her father when in fact she had been struggling for many years trying to make her dad proud of her, and perhaps now she just had to leave everything behind and devote herself only to being by his side.

"I'll go see him," she murmured before looking at her friends in the living room, "settle down and sit at home. Cleo, could you...?"

"Sure. I will show them where they can leave their things and where they will sleep tonight, and by the way I will give them a little tour of the house."

"Thank you."

Musa headed for the spiral-shaped stairs and began to climb them quickly. When she reached the second floor, she saw a pastel-colored corridor being decorated by several photographs of her in its different stages. One in particular attracted her attention: It showed a couple in their thirties, a bluish-haired man with tied hairdo and a beautiful black-haired woman, both with their foreheads together. The most emotional thing about the photo was that they both saw with love and devotion towards a six-year-old girl in the middle of both who was wearing two medium-sized pigtails and a red dress with recorded musical notes, laughing out loud. Musa vaguely remembered that image as the last one taken before her mother's death.

Suddenly she heard the chords of a Creole guitar being played. The melody emerged from her room and when she got close enough she could appreciate her father sitting in a chair on the balcony, holding the instrument that used to be his when he was young. Her father looked at first sight physically well, although the signs of tiredness showed on his face as he played the chords with his eyes closed.

Musa since becoming Melody's guardian fairy had the gift of listening to the songs that people kept in their hearts or those that crossed their minds. Paying close attention to what her father's heart dictated, the lyrics of the song quickly came to her mind. She smiled happily upon recognizing it, for it was a song that both had written the last time Musa came to visit months ago.

_You tucked me in, turned out the light__  
__Kept me safe and sound at night__  
__Little girls depend on things like that__  
__Brushed my teeth and combed my hair__  
__Had to drive me everywhere… _**(4)**

"_You were always there when I looked back,_" Musa sang approaching. Hoboe opened his eyes instantly. "_You had to do it all alone. Making a living, making a home… Must have been as hard as it could been,_" She smiled, sitting on the floor in front of him. Her father smiled slightly, still playing. "_And when I couldn't sleep at night. Scared that things wouldn't turn out right, you would hold my hand and sing to me..._"

"_Caterpillar in the tree__: __How you wonder who you'll be?__Can't go far, but you can always dream.__  
__Wish you may, and wish you might__. __Don't you worry, hold on tight__. __I promise you there will come a day__… __Butterfly fly away,_" they both sang in perfect synchrony. Hoboe's voice **(5)** was scratchy but with perfect tone. "_Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away. Got your wings, now you can't stay. Take those dreams and make them all come true. Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away. You've been waiting for this day, all along you've known just what to do. Butterfly, butterfly, butterfly, butterfly fly away… Butterfly fly away…Butterfly fly away…_"

The music came to an end with the last chords.

"Dad," she smiled excitedly and then hugged her father tightly, being reciprocated. "I'm so sorry for missing so long... I missed you..." she sobbed over his shoulder.

"My little Musa," he murmured over her crown. "Finally home. The music of my ears."

They lasted a few minutes in the embrace with the quiet music surrounding them. The guitar had been delicately displaced on the floor. Musa closed her eyes pleased to feel soft caresses in her hair.

"Why didn't you let me know you were coming?" Hoboe asked separating. "I could have waited for you with a nice traditional lunch, or at least well dressed," he said, looking at his own dress that consisted of a full-length striped pajamas. She stifled a laugh.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," she replied. "Although I confess that I didn't know that I would come here either. It was my friends and Cleo's idea."

"Well, it's good that they didn't come up with you. I don't want to be seen like this."

"Less Stella. She would give you a casual sermon for wearing that ugly pajama," she joked, laughing. "How did you feel these days? Didn't you have any episodes?"

"Sweetheart, you know that Cleo would have informed you if something bad had happened to me. I feel better, more relaxed," he said, stretching his arms, thundering his bones to Musa's disgust. "Walking on the beach helps a lot, you know? I don't get too agitated anymore, and I think I have lost weight doing that. Cleo has been taking the pressure and is just right. In simple words: Your father is fine."

"Has Mr. Gray come at any time?" Asked Musa. Hoboe was silent, admiring the landscape. "Dad…" she insisted.

"Yes. About three times. But we could reach an agreement."

Musa ran her hands through her loose hair in an attempt to calm down.

When the doctor who treated her father at the time he had diagnosed his condition, he gave her a couple of prescriptions of the medications he should take and the price for them were much more expensive than she could afford considering that they were several remedies and that her father must take it for life. She found out different places, only one that was left at a fairly affordable price.

That's where she met Mr. Gray, a pharmaceutical magnate who had his own pharmacy in Melody, who offered her a deal when she saw the young woman desperate to have her father's medications making it clear that she could pay him little by little but without skipping the payments. Unfortunately, Musa is falling behind in a monthly payment and Mr. Gray was very insistent on wanting to get the money he owed. Musa really didn't blame him, she would be the same way if it were the other way around, but what bothered her was the way Mr. Gray behaved to the point of harassing her father or Cleo and calling her about four times in the day.

Nor did she want to ask her friends for money. They did not know anything about Musa's treatment with Mr. Gray, perhaps they imagined that Cleo got the medicines for free or because they believed that the musical fairy could really afford it. More than once she was tempted to ask if they could give a loan to pay what she owed to Mr. Gray when they asked her if she needed help with anything but her pride and shame stopped her in time. Musa really did not want to depend on the money of her friends, nor did she want to be listed as an interested girl.

"I won something with the guitar, piano and singing lessons at Alfea. With that I get to pay the back month."

"I don't want you to spend your savings on me. Do you know that it is not necessary that...?"

"Don't even think about finishing the sentence. Do not give little importance to your state of health. Today I will take Mr. Gray's money, we will continue with the deal and I will not be late with the payment again. It's my money, dad, if I want to spend it on paying you for medications, you have to accept it without a joke."

"It shouldn't be this way. I am your father, I should be taking care of you, not you of me," he murmured reluctantly. "That money was for you to open your own recording studio, or for your personal expenses. It's not fair that you're spending it all on me."

"I do what every daughter would do for her father," she interrupted, standing up. "The study can wait, in some future it can be given. Now the main thing is to control your health. And I don't want to hear you discuss the subject anymore." Musa silenced him with her eyes when she saw him with the intention of taking the floor again. "There is something I wanted to tell you..."

"About what Riven has returned and you came back with him?"

"Yes and also that… Wait, what!?" She almost choked on her own saliva. The main idea was to discuss the subject as peacefully as possible so as not to alter it, although apparently her father was going one step further. "How… How did you know that I came back with him?" She asked curiously. Cleo couldn't have told him, since she had sworn not to tell her dad.

"How did I know? I'm not dumb, Musa, much less blind. I saw the news that the heir to the Crown of Abydos had returned and was nothing more, nothing less than your ex-boyfriend. When I heard that he returned to Magix the first thing I thought was that he had come back for you. Let's be frank, he'd be a fool if he hadn't come back for you, my daughter, knowing how valuable you are. He would have regretted letting you go without a fight." He slowly took the guitar off the floor and began to put it in its black case. "It reminds me of a phrase that your mother taught me."

"Αγάπη σαν μουσική" Musa repeated the words her mother had said to her in the dream. Hoboe blinked in surprise, but didn't ask where she knew.

"That same... It translates from Greek: 'Love as Music'," Hoboe murmured now with a faint smile. "Love is music, my daughter. When you hug _that_ person, you feel a melody that runs through you from the depths of your being. The hug is like a symphony in the chest. Its voice, its heat; They are the chords that make the body vibrate completely. Do you feel that when you are with Riven?"

Musa closed her eyes meditating. She was able to project the image of Riven, staring at her with a sideways smile, seeing the emotions that plowed in those violet lanterns, seeing herself reflected in them. The love and adoration that his eyes showed and the dedication he gave when he tried to make her laugh or make her a compliment. Her heart was beating fast, and she felt tingling at the tips of her fingers. The vibrations that her father mentioned...

She opened her eyes with a look that showed firmness.

"Yes."

"Then it means he is the one," the man sighed. As it was difficult to see how his offspring began to see the things of life more clearly alone, he could really sense that at any moment his daughter would definitely fly away from his side, and forever. "I'm glad you understand and feel the meaning of love as music, my little girl."

"And... what do you think about this? Do you know that he... is here at home?" She stammered to see him so peaceful.

"I saw him coming with you from here," he said with a shrug. Musa bit her cheek inside as she realized how careless she was. "Maybe I am not entirely happy that he has suddenly left your life and left you dealing with an unwanted break from you, but I must begin to respect your decisions, honey. As I said recently, if you're sure you want to be with him, it's fine for me."

"Wow ... I thought you would react worse than that," she admitted slowly. "So... When you see him, will you act as if he had never left?"

"Yes."

"Can you do me a favor?" She said a minute later. He nodded immediately. Musa approached him to whisper the request in his ear. Hoboe opened his eyes incredulously at what was said. "You can do it? Please?" She put her hands under her chin with a pout on the lips.

"Do you really want me to do that?"

"A Little bit, yes. I want to see his reaction."

"Your wishes are orders for me, princess," Hoboe accepted with a funny smile.

* * *

"I must admit that I like this radical change of yours, _little cousin_," Riven heard Stella say beside him. "At last you have clothes that are fashionable. I never thought I lived to see this." She grabbed a black shirt he had left on the temporary bed.

"Tell me again why you are here?"

"Because you share a room with my boyfriend, duh."

_And he isn't even here_, he complained mentally.

He and Brandon had been installed next to Timmy in a room on the ground floor near the living room. The room was empty when they entered but Cleo was responsible for making a bunk bed and a single bed and a piece of furniture to put the backpacks with magic. It would only be one day and one night what would last in Melody to leave for Lumenia.

"I have a good signal from here," Timmy said, typing on his computer from a corner. "Everything is ready to go to Lumenia."

"Yes... but we will do that tomorrow, dear Timmy. Take this as a day of complete relaxation and away from work," the blonde said again, looking at her nails. "Shouldn't we be having lunch already? I'm dying to prove what kind of dishes they serve here."

"That's exactly what I was going to tell you," Flora appeared through the door with an apron tied around her waist. "I helped Cleo prepare lunch, could you help set the table, please? I send Tecna to call Musa and her father, who have not yet come down."

"I have to do it?" Stella whined. Flora watched her raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I have to do it!" She clarified rising reluctantly from the bed.

"It's not that difficult to set the table, Stella." Riven bellowed with amusement. Timmy let out a laugh.

"It would be if you were as exhausted as I am!"

"That's for staying up late with the cell phone watching fashion catalogs," Flor said scoldingly. "And you can't deny it. I got up at dawn in the bathroom and saw you even with the light on."

"They were Versace, Flora, VERSACE designs!"

Riven glanced at his friend, who shrugged, neither understanding what Stella was referring to. Flora just let out a sigh before leaving the room with the two specialists behind her.

Upon arriving in the room each one contributed something to expand the place so that everyone could eat. Tecna appeared minutes later down the stairs.

"They'll be down in a few minutes," said the fairy. "I was sorry to have to interrupt them, they both looked very happy while they were chatting. Glad to see Musa this radiant."

"We've done well then," Bloom said, dragging her boyfriend to sit beside her and holding little Lumen in her free hand.

"Thank you for helping me in the kitchen, Flora," Cleo said with a smile, being reciprocated immediately. "I hope you like the combination of meat with rice and vegetables," the brunette smiled in the direction of the technology fairy but Tecna did not return the gesture and much less turned to look at her. "I'll go get things," she whispered crestfallen, entering the kitchen.

Riven noticed that exchange of looks. The only thing that came to mind is that maybe Tecna was a bit upset with the new and close friendship that Musa had with Cleo. The typical jealousy of best friends when they feel threatened that another person can take their place.

"What?" He heard Tecna ask Flora, who apparently noticed the situation as well.

The specialist followed the path that the brunette had made. He found the fairy accommodating deep round plates in a large silver tray. The countenance on her face was now a little off compared to how cheerful she looked when she opened the door today morning. Riven thought it looked like a small newborn deer and discovering the world by how she behaved and acted with how little he got to study her.

"What does he have?" Riven asked her when she noticed his presence. He saw how she look at him confused, obviously without understanding what he meant. "Musa's father. What does he have?" He said, softening his tone.

"Arrhythmia. It is an alteration that affects the heart rhythm," said Cleo, serving boiling water in a porcelain cup. "It causes severe symptoms such as palpitations, syncope **(7)**, chest pains, breathing difficulties and loss of consciousness... That is why Mr. Wang must be under someone's care. He suffers from bradycardia, which means that his heartbeat is too slow. At first Musa was taking care of her father but when they began to have problems and needed her for the missions in Magix, she went to the hospital consulting with someone who could take care of her father while she was gone. I'm a recent graduate and people usually turn to more experienced nurses for these cases, but Musa trusted me completely and chose me to take care of her father, and here I am," she commented briefly. "She is really wonderful." Cleo added, smiling.

Riven smiled slightly.

"Yes. She's amazing." Cleo could see how the boy's eyes were shining as he looked at a painting hanging on the wall where a nineteen-year-old Musa was shown next to her father, both smiling at the camera in a park.

"You really love her, don't you?" The words came out without permission from her mouth. Musa once told her that Riven used to be very reserved with his emotions and thoughts, and that he used to get angry when someone made personal comments or questions. "I'm sorry... I didn't want to sound nosy..."

"Do not be sorry. Maybe my past self would have dropped a hurtful comment or would try to evade the issue, maybe even deny the obvious," he says, looking sideways at her. "Now I am not ashamed to say out loud that I love that beautiful, talented and stubborn woman named Musa Wang," he revealed, not knowing that behind him the silhouette of the blue-haired appeared. Musa froze at the revelation, feeling her heart beating rapidly. "How is the issue of Hoboe treatment? Do you have everything you need? He doesn't need anything?" Suddenly Riven changed the subject, with a gesture of intrigue painted on his face.

"Errr..." Cleo stammered. When she saw Musa behind Riven shaking her head, she knew that her friend didn't want her to answer the question. "Yes, we have everything. No need to worry."

He was about to reply because he evidently realized that the fairy was lying but was interrupted by a melodious voice.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing in particular. Riven offered to help me take the food to the living room. But I can do it myself," the brunette, using her magic, began to levitate the tray with the plates on top with a movement of her wrist. "I leave you two alone. Hurry up if your dishes don't get cold."

Cleo left the kitchen with a smile.

Riven watched Musa intersperse her gaze between him and the door, as if she were debating whether to go with the others and leave him there alone or talk about what happened outside the house. He was not willing to let her go without having arranged things for a silly disagreement, much less spoil the small advances he made to improve his relationship with the fairy.

"Musa, listen to me, I want to tell you that you're right, and I'm sorry..." His words were interrupted by the blue-haired lips on his, pressing. He didn't expect it but he wouldn't complain about those spontaneous signs of affection on her part. It was a very good way to shut him up and keep him quiet.

Musa's lips tasted like strawberry because of the lip gloss that covered them. The essence of roses that her hair and the heat that her body gave off clouded his senses instantly, intoxicating him. The thin hands firmly held his cheeks, cupping them gently as her lips moved slowly over his, creating a seductive compass. Immediately his hands came to life and unconsciously, knowing by heart the way, he grabbed the sides of her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Don't say anything," the fairy whispered between kisses. Riven's lips left hers and began a path from her cheeks to her bare neck. "You don't have to say anything. It was stupid to be angry at... well, I don't even know why I get mad anymore," she sighed, trying to regulate her breathing.

"Your father…?" He left the question in the air, separating after leaving a last kiss on Musa's neck. He still hugged her by her waist and she held him again by the cheeks to keep their eyes together.

"He's fine. Maybe not so happy with, well, ours..."

"Damn, not again," he groaned as he dropped his head on Musa's shoulder. "I have to earn your father's respect and trust, again, right?"

"Sadly, yes. Is this a difficult task for the great specialist hero?" She teased, as soon as he regained his position, using the titles he had won over the years in Red Fountain. "The pleasure of a father towards his daughter's partner is something very important in our tradition. Are you willing to fight for my father's respect, no matter how hard it is?"

"Anything to be by your side."

"You know something? I think I can get used to receiving these compliments from you," the blue-haired whispered feeling her cheeks burn. "But you'll see my dad will accept you again. You have to give him time to digest it." She dropped her hands, Riven felt Musa's fingers search for his and intertwined with hers. "Now let's have breakfast. We have a long and long day ahead," and he let himself be guided by her.

The times that Riven had gone to Musa's house were about five times in total when they were still dating and all of them were always when her father was traveling for music business and she was alone for a few days. He, like the "gentlemanly" boyfriend he was, was going to keep her company. Now he understood that everything was completely different because he felt like an intruder there and more when he knew that the father of her _still-not-official-girlfriend_ was not august with his presence.

In the room everyone was sitting at the mahogany table with an origami vase of a swan as a decoration in the center. The tray Cleo had put in the middle now only had two glasses of juice and two large plates with noodles, rice, fish and meat mixed with vegetables.

Riven looked at the place in detail. It doesn't change anything, the only thing that looked different was the location of the furniture, or that some things were missing. As for example the red two-body sofa, which used to be near the window —which was Musa's father's favorite and, although he hated to admit it now, that that chair had also witnessed how he and Musa professed love of a rather erotic way— it was no longer visible in the place.

The prince of Abydos swallowed hard when he saw Musa's father sitting at the head of the table, staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

Hoboe had to work hard to accept Riven as a couple of Musa years ago. Starting with the idea that the boy was a lazy man not very well educated, arrogant and angry, he was the kind of boy he had never imagined for his beloved daughter. For a long time he thought about it that way since his daughter flattered that boy so much after attacking Alfea by the descendants of the three ancestral witches in her first year —it didn't help much the fact that he found out some time after Riven had a loving relationship with one of those sorceresses and to top it off he was present in a witch attack on his daughter, denying her help to escape when she asked him to—.

His perspective changed a little when he saw the bright gaze of his little Musa address that specialist in the middle of the Red Fountain concert, recognizing that spark in her eyes because he used to see his beloved wife in the same way that his daughter saw the boy and vice versa. Riven turned out to be polite, he even helped him after a crazy witch tried to kill him to take revenge against Musa. What definitely convinced him that he had done wrong in judging him ahead of time, was when he found out from his daughter and headmistress Faragonda that Musa was about to be killed by Lord Darkar but that Riven had risked his own life to save her. From that moment he knew that he could never thank him enough for having done such an action to protect his daughter.

Over the years he got used to seeing the specialist in his home keeping his daughter company. It could be said that he and Riven got along relatively well since they both shared one thing in common: Their unconditional love for Musa. His daughter was happy with him and that was enough for Hoboe to know that he was worthy of his little girl's love.

A few years later he was surprised when he saw his daughter behind the door one night, bathed in tears and with obvious dark circles, had informed him about Riven's departure and their breakup. He would lie if he said he didn't get mad at him for breaking Musa's heart but he knew that those were the blows of life she couldn't avoid. He had faith that his daughter would understand it and know how to overcome herself in her own way and in due time.

Now, Hoboe was extremely amused —despite maintaining a serious countenance— with the reaction of the magenta-haired boy when he saw him. He could take advantage of the situation, since Musa gave him the consent to do so.

"We're here," Musa announced, sitting in the chair next to Cleo.

Riven realized that the only seat available was in the other headboard, literally in front of Musa's father. He slowly took a seat avoiding the funny look of his friends. He grabbed the two glasses in each tray and handed it to Musa, who accepted it, giving him a beautiful smile of thanks.

"We were just talking about you," Hoboe said, pointing Tecna to his left side. "Hello, Riven," he greeted frivolously. "It's weird to see you here again after... so many years."

The specialist cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I regret my boldness, Mr. Wang. Recently I just rejoined the squad of specialists and this trip came about because of that," he replied as an excuse. For a moment it crossed his mind to run away from there instead of confronting his girl's father. The courage he had in the kitchen with Musa seemed to have evaporated.

"I see," Hoboe played with the spoon. "You will have had your reasons to leave like that suddenly, leaving everything behind... Even my daughter," Stella, who was one of the most concentrated in the conversation between the two men, let out a stubble when she choked with the drink. Riven cleared his throat awkwardly. "I guess it went well for you? Normally when someone decides to disappear, they do not plan to return at least five years later or more, you know, when the wound stops hurting. What have you been doing all this time, young man?"

Musa felt a few bumps on her shoulder. She reached behind Cleo's chair to see Brandon beckoning her to bow.

"I thought your father would react indifferently, not that he would throw that kind of comment against him. I'm surprised you didn't jump to defend him."

"He's not really mad at him," Musa whispered so Brandon would only listen. "He's just acting like this to test Riven. It's all fake."

"Did I mention that I love your father? He is my new role model," said Brandon, looking admiringly at his best friend's father. "I will enjoy the show without feeling sorry for him then."

Breakfast passed slowly and entertainingly for those present —less for Riven—. The specialist was under the critical gaze of Musa's father all the time, throwing an avalanche of questions that he had to answer sincerely and quickly to make a good impression. He was surprised to see that Musa did not say anything about it or showed signs of wanting to help him out of the mess, moreover, she seemed to enjoy his suffering.

But he firmly believed that it was worth going through that shameful moment when he saw the smile coming from Musa's lips, illuminating her face and making her dark blue eyes shine.

_It is really worth it_, Riven thought admiringly with devotion before returning his attention to Hoboe's interrogation.

* * *

After having had enough rest, the fairies and the Specialists decided to go in the afternoon to the celebration of the Euterpe muse to the central square of Melody.

**EUTERPE PARK**

"**WELCOME TO THE EUTERPE FESTIVAL"**

Melody Square was full of people cheering happily with colorful clothes and music playing everywhere. There were souvenir stands, food and even small entertainment activities. Near the fountain whose decoration consisted of the statue of a woman playing a flute, there was a large stage prepared for anyone who wanted to climb to play or sing. The atmosphere overflowed with joy and happiness.

Musa was in charge of teaching each one what each sculpture that decorated the place meant. Many people had approached her to greet her —since they were neighbors who had known her since childhood—. A group of children also approached to ask both her and the Winx and the Specialists for autographs.

"Look at those suits!" Stella bellowed, pointing to a group of dancers in colorful kimonos. "I want one of those!"

"Those are kimonos. They are often worn a lot, although more casual clothes now predominate," Musa laughed. "I think I saw a post at the beginning that sold them."

"Yes, yes, I see them from here! Come on _snookums_! See you later guys!" Without saying more, Stella grabbed her boyfriend's arm and dragged him away, almost letting Brandon stumble.

"Poor thing." Nex said, looking amusedly at the direction where his friend was dragged.

"More clothes? That girl will go bankrupt if she keeps spending money like that." Layla shook her head.

"Technically, Stella has a bank fund that never ends, so she will continue spending money on clothes until the end of her days." Said the technology fairy.

"What a pity Cleo couldn't accompany us. Did you tell me that she is doing online classes?"

"Yes," Musa replied to Flora. "It is a small course to improve her degree."

"It would help to have a fairy like Cleo in the Winx Club, don't you think?" Said Helia.

"No thanks. We are enough in the group." They all turned to see Tecna surprised. Musa looked confused at her best friend when she noticed the dryness in her tone of voice. She wanted to reply, but Riven's hand on her stopped her, especially when she saw him shake his head, so she decided to leave the subject there just.

The second to separate from the group were Layla and Nex, losing themselves in the sports posts. Flora had moved away with Helia when she saw a stand where they sold artificial flowers. Bloom and Sky immediately went to dance a slow song played by a man with a violin, being followed by Tecna and Timmy.

Finally, Musa and Riven were alone.

"Are you happy?" Asked Riven, taking her hand with his own.

"Of course I am," she replied with joy. "It has been a long time since I felt this way… at home." She looked around. "Being back home, having spent time with my father after so much time... and being with you, Riven, I can't ask for anything else to be happy."

He pulled her into his arms where she took refuge without replying, resting her head on his chest. Musa calmed down when Riven's heartbeat filled her ears. The people around them stopped to admire them when they saw the young couple that way, even some of them took pictures discreetly.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help taking a picture of you," an old woman told them when they both looked at her, with a slight smile. On her neck hung a camera like Bloom's and she extended a printed photograph. "You two look very cute together. You remind me of my husband and me when we were young..."

"Thank you very much, ma'am, it's very nice of you," the fairy said, admiring the photo. In it both were hugging with their eyes closed. A very casually beautiful photo.

"The pleasure was mine. I hope your love continues for many more years." With one last look, the old woman moved away to a bench where a man of her age was waiting.

"Are we adorable?" Musa waved the picture in front of Riven.

"Apparently yes," he observed the image. "If it doesn't bother you, I'll keep it." He carefully snatched it away and put it inside his jacket pocket. "I still don't get used to being photogenic, and I must admit that we went great in this photo."

"Yes... we don't have many photos together," she reflected bitterly. The few that had taken were scarce since neither of them bothered to want to treasure important moments of their relationship. Seeing the image that the lady gave them and how happy they looked that way, Musa scolded herself for not insisting years ago to take pictures with her boyfriend.

Riven saw the disappointment painted on her face and immediately planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Now we will have a lifetime to do it," he whispered, looking away from Musa's eyes. "Now, show me what that statue represents." To forget the issue of its disastrous relationship in the past, he pointed to the fountain in the square.

Musa guided him to the fountain where it was admired in the center representing one of the most revered and celebrated deities in Melody. Under it was a brief description that the fairy read aloud:

**EUTERPE: THE HISTORY**

THE _MUSIC_ WORD COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD _MUSE_. THIS TERM WAS REFERRED TO A GROUP OF FEMALE MYTHICAL CHARACTERS, WHO INSPIRED THE ARTISTS.

THE MUSES WERE INSPIRING DIVINITIES OF MUSIC AND POSSIBLY ALSO OF POETRY, ARTS AND SCIENCES.

ORIGINALLY THERE ARE NINE MUSES. AMONG ALL THE MOST KNOWN MUSES HIGHLIGHTS TO **EUTERPE** (Ευτέρπη, "THE VERY NICE", "THE VERY PLEASANT" OR "THE GOOD GENIUS"): THE MUSE OF THE MUSIC, AND CONCRETE THE PROTECTOR OF THE ART OF PLAYING THE FLUTE.

"'Musa: The one that inspires'," Riven repeated with his typical gallant smile. "It goes with you, because you're the one who inspires me to do my best." He flirted, hugging her from behind, earning a blush on her side and a gentle blow to the stomach.

"Did I ever mention that before _Musa_, my parents planned to name me _Euterpe_?"

"No... What stopped them?"

"Most of the babies of my time had the same name. You can bet quietly that half of Melody's female population is called that way." She heard him laugh. "But then my mother wanted my name to be special and unique so she decided to propose to my dad to name me _Musa_, because, as you also said recently, I inspired them to be better people even without getting to know me."

"I'm glad your mother did it. The name Euterpe sounds awful… no offense, ma'am." Musa laughed when she saw Riven heading for the sculpture in front of them. "Speaking of your father... Do you think it will take a long time to, errr... accept me again?" She turned to face him.

"What would you do if I told you that he was pretending all this time and that he accepted our reconciliation from the beginning?"

"It depends: If this was his idea, I would be relieved that he accepted it from the beginning no matter what he just wanted to see see me fooling around. If this was your idea, I would pretend to be angry to see how you convince me to forgive you." He explained, crossing his arms playfully.

Musa bit her lower lip to try to hide her smile. She knew he was aware that everything was her idea, maybe he knew her too well to not realize it. Standing on the tips of her feet, Musa began to leave small kisses on Riven's lips feeling tense under the touch.

"Can you forgive me? Pleaseeee?" She asked childishly. The corners of Riven's lips trembled as he tried to retain the smile that wanted to form on them. "I know you want to forgive me and kiss me as God commands," she whispered millimeters from his lips. The specialist's eyes shone with desire as he looked at the girl's pink lips in front of him. "I love you, _Riv_, please forgive me."

The self-control that Riven maintained dissipated upon hearing those words. He gently held Musa's face between his big hands and kissed her lips deeply. Having spent more than a year without feeling the sweetness of the fairy's lips was a martyrdom and feeling that electric current again through his body every time it passed, was gratifyingly magical. Even more to hear her say that she still loved him despite everything that he made her live.

Musa was simply wonderful before his eyes.

"You are forgiven." He murmured as she separated.

"Welcome to the celebration of Euterpe!" A woman's voice was heard from the microphone. They both turned to see the stage. "I hope everyone is having a good time on this day. As your hostess, it is my duty to announce that this scenario is available to anyone who wants to freely climb to play or sing a piece. Don't be shy, music is the purest form of expression that can exist! Who wants to be the first to come up and sing something to us?"

A tumult of people raised their hands quickly. The presenter began to look at who she would choose, until her gaze fell on a person she recognized for how novel it was.

"You," she pointed out with emotion, "Musa Wang. Member of the Winx Club and music fairy. It would be an honor if you were the first to sing."

Musa smiled when everyone turned to see her clapping her. She turned to see the specialist who looked proudly at her. Musa kissed Riven on the cheek before approaching the stage. The woman greeted her with a smile and handed her the microphone. The blue-haired sat down in front of a beautiful black piano.

"The song I will sing is from a very popular and renowned artist on planet Earth," ahe said through the microphone, sounding some piano keys, after concentrating enough to hear the song that crossed the mind of someone especially of the public. "This is 'Can't help falling in love' by Elvis Presley. Enjoy it! **(7)**"

The first chords began to sound flooding the place with the melodious piano sound.

_Wise men say_

_Only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you._

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin_

_If I can't help falling in love with you?_

_Like a river flows_

_Surely to the sea,_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand,_

_take my whole life too,_

_For I can't help falling in love with you…_

The prince of Abydos smiled enormously when he noticed that Musa had quickly grasped the song he had in mind. Musa knew well that that song Riven was dedicating it to her.

"**WHERE WORDS FAIL, MUSIC SPEAKS" (8)**

* * *

REFERENCES:

**(1)**Euterpe is one of the nine muses, daughter of Zeus and Mnemósine. She is the muse of music. Precisely this muse is credited with the invention of the single or double flute, an instrument with which it is represented.

**(2)**Eclecticism: It is a mixed style in the fine arts, which takes on the traits of various sources and styles.

**(3)**An ambo is a set of pants and jacket made of the same or matching fabric. It is mandatory to use it in the area of medicine for career candidates.

**(4)**"Butterfly fly away", song by Billy Ray Cyrus ft. Miley Cyrus.

**(5)**I imagined him with the voice of Billy Ray Cyrus.

**(6)**A syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness, which is also accompanied by a momentary paralysis of the movements of the heart and breathing. It is due to a lack of blood supply to the brain.

**(7)**Cover made by Kina Grannis.

**(8)**Phrase by Hans Christian Andersen.


End file.
